\Y  iO  1900   ^i 


BM  500  .R6  1896  v. 9 
Talmud. 

New  edition  of  the 
Babylonian  Talmud 


.  ^J 


NEW    EDITION 


BABYLONIAN  TALMUD 


©riGinal  Uejt,  EMteC),  Correcte^,  jformulatet),  ant) 
XTranslatcC)  into  BngUsb 


BY 

MICHAEL  L.  RODKINSON 


SECTION  JURISPRUDENCE  (DAMAGES) 

TRACTS  ABOTH  (FATHERS  OF  THE  SYNAGOGUE),  WITH 

ABOTH  OF  R.  NATHAN,  DERECH  ERETZ 

RABBA,  AND  ZUTA 

Revised  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Codfrev  (Sh.-ijah)  TaubenhauS 
Rabbi  Cong.  Beth  Elohim,  Brooklyn 


Volume  I.  (IX.) 


NEW  YORK 

NEW  TALMUD  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1332  Fifth  Avenue 


EXPLANATORY   REMARKS. 

In  our  translation  we  adopted  these  principles: 

1.  Tenan  of  the  original — We  have  learned  in  a  Mishna;  Tania — We  have 
learned  in  a  Boraitha;  Iteiiiar — It  v/as  taught, 

2.  Questions  are  indicated  by  the  interrogation  point,  and  are  immediately 
followed  by  the  answers,  without  being  so  marked. 

3.  When  in  the  original  there  occur  two  statements  separated  by  the  phrase, 
Lishna  achrcna  or  IVaibayith  Aeiiia  ox  Iklia  (frfwr/ (Hterally,  "otherwise  interpreted  "), 
we  translate  only  the  second. 

4.  As  the  pages  of  the  original  are  indicated  in  our  new  Hebrew  edition,  it  is  not 
deemed  necessary  to  mark  them  in  the  English  edition,  this  being  only  a  translation 
from  the  latter. 

5.  Words  or  passages  enclosed  in  round  parentheses  (  )  denote  the  explanation 
rendered  by  Rashi  to  the  foregoing  sentence  or  word.  Square  parentheses  [  ]  contain 
commentaries  by  authorities  of  the  last  period  of  construction  of  the  Gemara. 


Copyright,  1900,  by 
MICHAEL  L.  RODKINSON. 


TO    HIS    EXCELLENCY 

THE   WELL-KNOWN    PHILANTHROPIST,  WHO    WARMLY    ESPOUSES 
THE  CAUSE  OF  JUDAISM  AND  ITS  LITERATURE 

BARON    EDMUND    DE    ROTHSCHILD 

THIS  VOLUME  IS   MOST    RESPECTFULLY   INSCRIBED   BY  THE 
EDITOR   AND   TRANSLATOR 

MICHAEL    L.    RODKINSON 


New  York,  Purim,  5660 
March  15th,  1900 


INTRODUCTION    TO    SECTION  JURIS- 
PRUDENCE. 

With  the  present  volume  we  begin  the  Section  "  Damages," 
also  called"  Jurisprudence,"  from  the  occurrence  of  discussions 
on  criminal  law.  This  section  forms  the  fourth  in  the  old  edi- 
tion, and  comprises  the  following  treatises:  "  First  Gate,""  Mid- 
dle Gate,"  "  Last  Gate,"  "  Sanhedrin,"  "  Stripes,"  "  Oaths," 
"Testimonies,"  "Idolatry,"  "Fathers"  (or  "Ethics  of  the 
Fathers  of  the  Synagogue  "),  and  "  Decisions." 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  in  the  old  edition  of  the  Tal- 
mud "  Fathers  "  stands  next  to  the  last  tract,  we  have  placed  it 
at  the  head  of  the  section,  relying  upon  the  decision  of  Sherira 
Gaon  in  his  letter  (Goldberg  edition,  Mayence,  1872,  p.  14)  de- 
claring that  it  is  perfectly  permissible  to  change  the  order  of 
sequence  of  tracts  in  the  several  sections.  Therefore,  because 
the  treatise  entitled  "  Fathers  "  deals  entirely  with  the  ethics  of 
life,  we  have  deemed  it  best  to  give  it  precedence  over  the  other 
treatises.  Just  as  in  the  Pentateuch  we  find  the  ten  command- 
ments— the  basis  of  all  ethical  religion — heading  the  subsequent 
detailed  laws  and  ordinances,  so  it  seems  but  fit  that  the  Section 
"  Damages"  should  be  headed  by  the  tract  setting  forth  the 
main  ethical  principles,  and  be  continued  by  the  detailed  discus- 
sions. We  are  further  borne  out  by  the  Talmud  itself,  which 
reads  (First  Gate,  Chap.  III.,  Mishna  3):  "  One  who  wishes  to 
be  pious  should  observe  the  laws  of  damages.  Rabhina  said : 
He  should  observe  the  teachings  of  the  Fathers.'  "  Rabhina's 
statement  should,  in  our  opinion,  not  be  taken  literally,  but  as 
indicative  of  the  opinion  that  the  decisions  contained  both  in 
Fathers  "  and  in  "  Damaees  "  generally  are  equivalent  ...uered 

"  Father* s,  but  merely  indicated  at  rne  toot  of  the  page  to 
only  t.e..'P^^^  each  paragraph  belongs. 

nian  or  t*''^^nS  ^^^^  translation  of  "  Fathers,"  i.e.,  the  original 
out  the^  '^^  ^^^^  fi^st  five  chapters,  we  have  found  that  the  trans- 
tions  ('  °f  C-  Taylor  (Cambridge,  1877)  is  entirely  too  literal  and 
TheHst  incomprehensible  without  foot-notes  and  commentaries. 


vi      INTRODUCTION   TO   SECTION   JURISPRUDENCE. 

Nathan"  which  discusses  most  sentences  of  the  original  "  Fa- 
thers" separately;  in  fact,  begins  the  discussion  of  each  sen- 
tence with  the  interrogation  "  How  so  ?  "  Forming,  therefore,  a 
valuable  addition  to  the  much-valued  literature  of  the  '  *  Fathers, ' ' 
we  have  considered  it  our  duty  to  incorporate  it  in  our  edition, 
and  we  have  therefore  inserted  the  said  Tosephtha  in  the  place 
where,  in  other  tracts,  we  have  placed  the  Gemara. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Tosephtha  named  above  bears  the 
name  of  Rabbi  Nathan  of  Babylon,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
masters  of  his  generation,  but  at  the  same  time  contains  ethics 
similar  to  those  of  the  Mishna,  as  well  as  lectures  and  discus- 
sions which  could  not  have  been  compiled  by  that  author  and 
are  evidently  contributions  from  scholars  of  a  later  period,  the 
historians  of  modern  times,  from  Zunz  in  his  "  Gottesdienstliche 
Vortraege  "  to  Brill  in  his  "  Jahrbuecher  "  and  Weiss  in  his 
"  Dor  Dor  Vedorshov,"  engage  in  elaborate  speculation  as  to 
who  was  the  compiler  of  the  "  Fathers  of  R.  Nathan  "  and  at 
what  time  it  was  compiled.  The  complicated  nature  of  the 
Tosephtha  in  question  brought  to  the  front  a  number  of  com- 
mentators and  text-revisers,  and  finally  Solomon  Tausik  and 
Solomon  Shechter  made  a  search  of  manuscripts,  and  published 
new  editions  of  the  Tosephtha,  with  additions  from  the  material 
found  in  the  manuscripts.  The  latter,  in  fact,  searched  so  thor- 
oughly that  he  found  an  entirely  different  version  of  the  Toseph- 
tha, and  then  published  in  his  edition  two  separate  texts,  calling 
them  First  Text  and  Second  Text,  respectively,  with  his  own 
corrections,  notes,  and  a  long  introduction  (Vienna,  1887). 

True  to  our  methods  of  translating  the  Talmud,  we  have, 
however,  ignored  the  new  versions  of  "  Fathers  of  Rabbi  Na- 
than," and  have  merely  adapted  the  old  version  which  form.s 
part  of  the  Talmud,  simply  adhering  to  the  corrections  made  by 
Elias  Wilner  and  the  commentaries  of  Joshua  Falk  and  others 
contained  in  the  great  Wilna  (1890)  edition  of  the  Talmud. 
Further,  in  accordance  with  our  wont  we  have  omitted  such  of 
the  passages  as  have  already  appeared  in  the  preceding  tracts  of 
'■*■*'""     merely  indicating  ^hp  »-'-   ^c-   -vli^^^rp  they  can  be 

''dded   foot- 

s  of  the 

h  ap- 
that 


INTRODUCTION   TO    SECTION   JURISPRUDENCE.       vii 

we  cannot  give  preference  to  recently  discovered  manuscripts 
over  those  used  by  the  compilers  of  the  Talmud,  and  for  a  rea- 
son that  is  perfectly  obvious,  viz.  :  If  those  manuscripts  were  in 
existence  during  the  construction  period  of  the  Talmud,  the 
compilers,  who  sifted  every  manuscript  with  the  utmost  care, 
undoubtedly  rejected  them  as  valueless.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  were  at  that  time  not  in  existence,  but  were  written  at  a 
later  period,  they  certainly  cannot  be  used  as  a  medium  for  cor- 
recting the  antedating  manuscripts. 

As  for  Schechter's  revised  and  corrected  texts,  we  cannot 
accept  them  for  the  reason  that  he  presumes  to  remark,  anent 
Elias  Wilner's  corrections,  "  I  do  not  favor  them,"  or,  "  They 
are  unnecessary. ' '  After  careful  investigation  we  have,  however, 
found  that  almost  all  the  corrections  made  by  Elias  Wilner,  and 
adopted  by  us,  are  founded  directly  on  Talmudical  and  IMidrashic 
passages  scattered  throughout  the  Talmud,  a  fact  the  learned 
Dr.  Schechter  no  doubt  overlooked. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  find  that  the  commentaries  published 
in  the  above-mentioned  Wilna  edition  and  credited  to  Joshua 
Falk,  Chayim  Joseph  David  Azulayi,  and  Baruch  Frankel  Theo- 
mim  are  referred  directly  to  passages  of  the  Talmud  In  the 
several  treatises.  Therefore  we  have  used  these  well-known 
authorities  in  our  translation,  elim.inating  merely  their  lengthy 
discussions  and  adductions  of  proof. 

As  to  the  origin  of  the  sayings  of  the  "  Fathers  of  Rabbi 
Nathan,"  the  period  during  which  they  were  compiled,  and 
other  historical  events  attending  their  conception,  we  refrain 
from  rendering  our  opinion,  even  though  it  has  become  cus- 
tomary to  do  this  In  an  introduction,  leaving  these  matters  to 
the  philologists  and  historians  In  whose  province  such  discussions 
properly  fall.  Our  sole  reason  for  the  translation  Is  that  the  said 
sayings  have  never  before  been  rendered  into  any  modern  lan- 
guage and  without  them  our  work  would  not  be  complete. 

The  "Fathers  of  Rabbi  Nathan"  contains  In  the  original 
forty-one  chapters.  As  we  render  them,  however,  in  the  form 
of  a  Gemara  to  the  MIshna  of  "  Fathers,"  we  have  not  numbered 
the  chapters,  but  merely  indicated  at  the  foot  of  the  page  to 
which  chapter  each  paragraph  belongs. 

Regarding  the  translation  of  "  Fathers,"  i.e.,  the  original 
Mishna  In  the  first  five  chapters,  we  have  found  that  the  trans- 
lation of  C.  Taylor  (Cambridge,  1877)  is  entirely  too  literal  and 
almost  incomprehensible  without  foot-notes  and  commentaries. 


viii     INTRODUCTION   TO    SECTION   JURISPRUDENCE. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  partial  translation  contained  in  the  Home 
Prayer  Book,  compiled  in  the  main  by  Dr.  G.  Gottheil  and  Dr. 
F.  De  Sola  Mendes,  is  lucid  and  in  accord  with  the  original 
text.  We  have  therefore  made  use  of  the  latter  rendition,  with 
slight  changes.  The  part  remaining  untranslated  in  the  Prayer 
Book  we  have  adapted  from  C.  Taylor's  version,  rendering  it 
somewhat  more  comprehensively.  In  the  rendition  of  the 
sixth  chapter,  which  does  not  really  form  part  of  the  Mishna 
but  is  added  by  the  sages  in  Mishnaic  language,  we  have  fol- 
lowed Taylor,  making  numerous  notes  and  corrections,  in  order 
to  make  it  intelligible  to  the  lay  reader. 

We  have  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  add  a  commentary  to 
the  "  Fathers"  as  we  did  to  Tracts  Shekalim  and  Ebel  Rab- 
bathi,  because  the  "  Fathers  "  has  been  translated  into  all  mod- 
ern languages  and  because  there  is  already  considerable  literature 
concerning  the  ethics  of  Judaism,  especially  the  recent  publica- 
tion by  Prof.  Dr.  M.  Lazarus  entitled  "  Ethik  des  Judenthums," 
an  admirable  work,  issued  at  Leipzig  (1899),  and  giving  a  mas- 
terly exposition  of  the  philosophical  tendencies  of"  Fathers." 
We  have  also  devoted  a  special  chapter  to  this  subject  in  our 
forthcoming  "  History  of  the  Talmud." 

We  have  also  thought  it  well  to  give  in  this  volume,  which 
treats  exclusively  of  the  ethics  of  Judaism,  the  two  Tracts 
Dercch  Eretz  (Rabba  and  Zuta),  which  contain  the  essential 
"  rules  of  conduct  of  life,"  as  construed  by  Dr.  Mielziner,  or 
Worldly  Affairs,  as  named  by  us,  which  latter  is  the  prevailing 
interpretation  among  Hebrew  readers. 

As  to  the  origin  of  these  two  tracts,  elaborate  discussions 
maybe  found  in  Zunz,  "  Gottesdienstliche  Vortraege,"  pp.  iio- 
112,  as  well  as  in  "  Der  Talmud — Tract  Derech  Erez  Sutta  Kri- 
tisch  bearbeitet,  iibersetzt  und  erlautert  "  (Berlin,  1885),  by  Abr. 
Tawrogi.  For  Tawrogi's  reasons  for  not  translating  Derech 
Eretz  Rabba,  see  his  work;  nevertheless,  inasmuch  as  Derech 
Eretz  Rabba  has  never  been  translated  into  any  language,  and 
of  Derech  Eretz  Zuta,  while  there  is  a  critical  translation  into 
German,  there  is  none  in  English,  in  order  to  make  this  volume, 
which  treats  of  the  ethics  of  Judaism,  complete,  we  have  con- 
sidered it  expedient  to  translate  into  English  both  tracts  almost 
literally,  although  they  are  not  counted  among  the  thirty-seven 
treatises  proper  of  the  Babylonian  Talmud,  but  only  among  the 
minor  treatises  added  to  them.  We  do  not,  however,  deem  it 
necessary  to  add  any  commentary,  for  the  reason  that  the  say- 


INTRODUCTION   TO    SECTION   JURISPRUDENCE.        ix 

ings  arc  very  plain  and  lucid,  and  can  easily  be  understood  even 
by  those  who  are  not  students  of  the  Talmud. 

Because  of  the  similarity  in  language  and  style  of  these  two 
treatises  and  of  the  so-called  Mishnayoth  of  the  sixth  chapter  of 
Aboth,  they  appear  in  the  same  large  type  as  the  Mishnayoth. 
Following  this  treatise  will  be  published  the  other  tracts  of  this 
section  in  the  regular  sequence  of  the  old  edition. 

The  Editor  and  Translator. 

New  York,  March,  1900. 


SYNOPSIS   OF  SUBJECTS 


OF 


TRACT  ABOTH  (FATHERS  OF  THE 
SYNAGOGUE). 


[Several  requests  have  been  received  by  the  translator  that  an  index  should  be 
made  to  the  volumes  of  the  Talmud,  as  is  customary  with  all  modern  works.  It 
would  be  an  utter  impossibility  to  give  a  complete  index  of  everything  contained  in 
the  Talmud.  Were  it  like  other  scientific  works,  which  treat  each  subject  separately, 
this  could  easily  be  done  ;  but  with  the  Talmud  it  is  different.  On  one  page  many 
different  subjects  may  be  discussed,  and  again  a  single  subject  may  occupy  several 
pages.     The  Talmud,  therefore,  has  never  had  an  index. 

After  careful  examination  of  the  volumes,  page  by  page,  it  has  been  decided  to 
make  a  synopsis,  i.e.,  to  give  briefly  the  heads  of  the  discussions  and  conversations 
upon  each  Mishna,  indicating  the  page  where  the  Mishna  is  to  be  found,  and  the 
Gemara  of  each  one,  which  serves  as  a  commentary.  By  this  the  reader  should  be 
able  to  refer  to  what  he  desires  to  know. 

A  synopsis  is  therefore  given  of  every  Mishna  which  discusses  a  single  subject, 
with  its  accompanying  Gemara — in  this  volume,  the  Tosephtha  ;  but  when  several 
short  Mishnas  cover  the  same  subject,  a  single  synopsis  is  given  of  the  whole,  includ- 
ing the  Gemara  of  each  one  ;  and  where  a  chapter  is  short,  a  synopsis  of  the  whole 
chapter  is  made,  without  dividing  it  into  Mishnas. 

This  is  the  best  that  can  be  done,  and  it  is  hoped  that  readers  will  fmd  it  satis- 
factory.] 

CHAPTER  I. 

Mishna  A.  The  Great  Assembly  originated  three  maxims.  Be  deliber- 
ate in  judgment.  Mow  so  ?  The  books  of  Proverbs,  Song  of  Songs,  and 
Ecclesiastes  were  hidden.  How  was  Adam  created  ?  Why  was  Adam 
created  on  the  last  hour  of  the  sixth  day  ?  On  the  same  day  on  which  he 
was  formed,  on  the  very  same  day  his  countenance  was  created.  Accord- 
ing to  others:  "  Be  deliberate  in  judgment"  means  not  to  have  an  irascible 
manner.  Erect  safeguards  for  the  Law.  The  safeguard  of  the  Lord,  of 
Adam  the  First.  The  legend  about  Eve  and  the  serpent,  etc.  The  ten 
curses  with  which  Eve  was  cursed  at  that  time.  "  Shall  I  and  my  cattle  eat 
out  of  the  same  trough  ?"  The  tradition  about'the  ox  of  Adam,  the  steer 
of  Noah,  and  the  ram  sacrificed  by  Abraham,         .        .        .        .  i-ii 


xii  SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS. 

Continuation  of  Chapter  II.  of  Tosephtha. — What  is  the  safeguard 
that  the  Torah  made  to  its  words  ?  What  Elijah  the  prophet  answered  the 
widow  of  the  scholar  who  died  in  the  prime  of  his  life.  What  is  the  safe- 
guard that  Moses  made  to  his  words  ?  The  reason  why  Moses  broke  the 
Tables  ?  What  is  the  safeguard  that  Job  made  to  his  words  ?  The  safe- 
guard that  the  prophets  made  to  their  words.  The  safeguard  that  the  Hagiog- 
raphers  made  to  their  words.  The  safeguard  that  the  sages  made  to  their 
words,        ............         11-19 

Continuation  of  Chapter  III.  of  Tosephtha. — Whoever  takes  a 
coin  from  charity  when  not  in  need  of  it,  etc.  Study  the  Law  in  thy  old  age, 
even  if  thou  hast  studied  it  in  thy  youth.  If  you  gave  a  coin  to  a  poor  man 
in  the  morning,  and  another  one  begs  of  you  in  the  evening,  give  him  also. 
What  happened  to  a  poor  man  with  R.  Aqiba.  What  happened  to  Benja- 
min the  Just 19-21 

MiSHNA  B.  The  motto  of  Simeon  the  Just.  Upon  the  Torah,  how  so  ? 
Upon  service,  how  so  ?  Upon  bestowal  of  favors,  how  so  ?  Rabban  Jo- 
hanan  b.  Zakkai  and  Vespasian.  In  three  things  mankind  differ  one  from 
the  other,  ...........         22-26 

MiSHNAS  C  AND  D.  Be  not  like  slaves  who  serve  their  masters  for  the 
sake  of  compensation.  Let  the  fear  of  Heaven  be  upon  you.  Let  your  house 
be  the  meeting  place  of  the  wise.  How  did  R.  Aqiba  begin  his  wonderful 
career  ?  Not  less  astonishing  was  the  literary  career  of  R.  Eliezer.  How 
his  father  Hyrkanus  reached  the  seats  of  Ben  Zizith  Ha  Kesseth,  Nakdimon 
b.  Gurion,  and  Calba  Shebua,  .......         26-32 

MiSHNAS  E  AND  F.  Let  thy  house  be  wide  open  for  the  poor.  When  the 
great  affliction  came  upon  Job,  he  prayed,  etc.  Teach  thy  house  humility — 
the  different  explanations  of  this  saying.  Get  thee  a  wise  teacher.  Judge 
everyone  from  his  favorable  side.  The  legend  about  a  maiden  who  was  led 
into  captivity  and  the  pious  men  who  went  to  redeem  her.  Not  only  were 
the  upright  of  former  times  themselves  very  strict  and  particular,  but  also 
their  cattle  were  so.     The  ass  of  R.  Hanina  b.  Dosa,      .         .         .         32-38 

MiSHNA  G.  Keep  aloof  from  a  wicked  neighbor.  Slanderers  are  pun- 
ished with  plagues.  The  legend  about  Moses,  Aaron,  and  Miriam.  Do  not 
consider  thyself  exempt  from  God's  chastisement,   ....         38-41 

MiSHNAS  //to  A'.  Make  thyself  not  as  those  that  predispose  the  Judges. 
Love  work — how  so  ?  Do  not  care  for  superiority.  See  to  it  that  your  name 
be  not  known  to  the  Government.  Ye  wise,  be  guarded  in  your  words. 
Love  peace — how  so  ?  Moses  desired  to  die  the  same  death  Aaron  did — 
how  so  ?  The  legend  of  the  death  of  Moses,  at  length.  Pursue  peace — how 
so  ?     Love  all  men  too,  and  bring  them  nigh  unto  the  Law,    .         .         41-50 

MiSHNAS  L  TO  Q.  If  I  do  not  look  to  myself,  who  will  do  so  ?  And  if 
not  now,  when  ?  He  who  does  not  desire  to  learn  from  his  masters  is  not 
worthy  to  live.  He  who  increases  not,  decreases — how  so  ?  He  who  serves 
himself  with  a  tiara  perishes.  Fix  a  time  for  study.  Promise  little  and  do 
much.  Receive  everyone  with  friendly  countenance.  Make  a  master  to 
thyself.  "  I  have  never  found  anything  better  for  a  man  than  silence." 
Three  things  support  the  world.  The  disciples  of  Hillel  ;  of  R.  Johanan  b. 
Zakkai — what  was  said  about  them  and  what  they  used  to  say.  The  con- 
solation of  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  by  his  disciples  when  his  son  died.     Thy 


SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS.  xiii 

fellow's  honor  must  be  as  dear  to  thee  as  thine  own.  Do  not  allow  thyself 
to  be  easily  angered.  The  two  proselytes  that  came  before  Hillel  and 
Shammai.     Repent  one  day  before  thy  death,  ....         So-58 


CHAPTER   II. 

MiSHNAS  A  TO  AT.  In  choosing  tlie  right  path,  see  that  it  is  one  which 
is  honorable  to  thyself  and  without  offence  to  others.  All  who  occupy  them- 
selves with  communal  affairs  should  do  it  in  the  name  of  Heaven.  Do  His 
will  as  if  it  were  thy  own,  that  He  may  do  thy  wil  is  if  it  were  His.  Pass 
not  judgment  upon  thy  neighbor  until  thou  hast  put  thyself  in  iiis  place. 
The  boor  can  never  fear  sin,  and  the  ignorant  can  never  be  truly  pious. 
The  more  feasting  the  more  food  for  worms.  What  is  the  best  thing  to  cul- 
tivate. Which  is  the  evil  way  a  man  should  shun.  Warm  thyself  before 
the  light  of  the  wise.  An  envious  eye,  evil  propensities,  and  misanthropy 
drive  a  man  out  of  the  world.  The  legend  about  Joseph  the  Just,  R.  Zadoq, 
R.  Aqiba,  R.  Eliezer  the  Great,  etc.  How  difficult  it  is  for  man  to  avoid  the 
evil  propensities.  Love  everyone  except  the  infidels,  the  enticers,  the  mis- 
leaders,  and  the  informers.  Thy  neighbor's  property  must  be  as  sacred  as 
thine  own, 58-65 

MiSHNA  N.  Set  thyself  to  learn  the  Law.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  and  the 
daughter  of  Nakdimon  b.  Gurion.  Let  noble  purpose  underlie  thy  every 
action.  The  sages  who  were  recounted  of  R.  Jehudah  the  Prince,  How 
they  were  named  by  Issi  b.  Jehudah, 65-70 

CHAPTER   in. 

MiSHNAS  A  TO  V.  Consider  three  things,  and  you  will  not  fall  into 
transgression.  Pray  always  for  the  welfare  of  the  Government.  Whoever 
takes  the  words  of  the  Torah  to  his  heart.  Render  unto  God  what  belongs 
to  Him,  for  thou  and  all  thou  hast  are  His.  Whomsoever  fear  of  sin  pre- 
cedes, his  wisdom  prevails.  He  whose  works  are  in  excess  of  his  wisdom, 
his  wisdom  will  endure.  Be  pliant  with  thy  chief.  Receive  every  man  with 
cheerfulness.  Mockery  and  frivolity  are  the  forerunners  of  immorality. 
Everything  is  foreseen  and  free  will  is  given.  The  world  is  judged  by  grace. 
All  that  we  possess  is  merely  a  trust.  Without  knowledge  of  religion  there 
can  be  no  true  culture,  and  without  true  culture  there  is  no  knowledge  of 
religion.  Qinim,  canons,  astronomy,  and  geometry  are  after-courses  of  wis- 
dom,                  70-81 

CHAPTER   IV. 

MiSHNAS  A  TO  P.  Who  is  a  wise  man  ?  He  who  learns  from  every- 
body. Despise  no  man,  and  consider  nothing  as  too  far  removed  to  come  to 
pass.  Be  exceedingly  lowly  of  spirit.  Wear  not  the  law  of  God  as  a  crown 
to  exalt  thyself  withal.  Judge  not  alone,  for  none  may  judge  alone  save  One. 
Whatsoever  congregation  is  for  the  sake  of  Heaven  will  in  the  end  succeed. 
Let  the  honor  of  thy  disciple  be  as  dear  unto  thee  as  the  honor  of  thine  asso- 


xiv  SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS. 

ciate.  Be  careful  in  thy  study,  for  error  in  study  counts  for  an  intentional 
sin 81-86 

MiSHNA  Q.  Neither  the  security  of  the  wicked  nor  the  afflictions  of  the 
righteous  are  within  the  grasp  of  our  understanding.  Be  beforehand  in 
saluting  every  man.  Be  the  lion's  tail  rather  than  the  fox's  head.  Do  not 
seeli  to  appease  thy  friend  in  the  hour  of  his  passion.  Lool<  not  upon  the 
pitcher,  but  upon  what  it  contains.  Envy,  sensuality,  and  ambition  destroy 
life.  Accept  not  the  assurance  of  thy  passions,  that  the  grave  wiK  be  a 
place  of  refuge  for  thee.  Without  thy  consent  wert  thou  created,  born  into 
the  world  without  thy  choice.  Thou  art  living  without  thine  own  volition, 
without  thine  approval  thou  wilt  have  to  die.  About  the  death  of  Eliezer 
the  Great.  Set  something  apart  for  charity,  before  you  are  compelled  to  do 
so  by  others.  Lower  thy  seat  two  or  three  rows  from  the  place  you  intend 
to  occupy.  There  are  three  persons  whose  life  is  not  worth  living.  The 
safeguard  for  honor  is  refraining  from  laughter.  The  safeguard  for  wisdom 
is  silence.  Whoever  marries  a  woman  not  suitable  to  him  transgresses  five 
negative  commandments.  Do  not  be  as  the  lintel,  which  no  hand  can  reach, 
etc., 86-95 

MiSHNA  Q.  (continued).  Those  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed. 
The  support  of  the  wise,  etc.  Do  not  keep  away  from  a  precept  which  has 
no  limit.  Let  the  honor  of  thy  disciple,  etc.  There  is  grain  in  Judea,  straw 
in  Galilee,  and  chaff  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan.  There  is  no  love  such 
as  the  love  of  the  Torah.  There  is  no  wisdom  such  as  the  wisdom  of  man- 
ners. Whoever  maintains  peace  in  his  own  household,  etc.  The  words  of 
the  Torah  are  as  difficult  to  acquire  as  silken  garments  and  are  lost  as 
easily  as,  etc.  All  those  things  which  are  done  in  private  shall  be  done  as 
if  they  were  done  publicly.  Do  not  isolate  thyself  from  the  community. 
The  disciples  are  divided  into  three  classes,  etc.  Whoever  constitutes  the 
Torah  as  the  chief  good,  and  considers  worldly  affairs  as  a  secondary  thing, 
etc.  Conciliate  not  thy  friend  in  the  hour  of  his  anger.  The  scholars  are 
divided  into  four  classes  :  One  studies  but  does  not  teach  others,  etc.  If 
one  honor  his  friend  for  pecuniary  considerations,  he  will  in  the  end  be  dis- 
missed in  disgrace,  etc.  On  account  of  the  four  different  means  of  forgive- 
ness, etc.  Repentance  must  be  to  every  one  of  them.  However,  one  who 
has  profaned  the  name  of  heaven  has  not  the  power  to  repent.  Wherefore 
do  scholars  die  before  their  time.  Be  careful  in  greeting  thy  neighbors. 
He  who  neglects  the  words  of  the  Law  on  account  of  his  riches.  There  is  a 
case  where  one  transgresses  ignorantly,  etc.  One  who  connects  himself 
with  transgressors,  etc.  The  punishment  of  the  liar  is  that  even  when  he 
tells  the  truth  he  is  not  believed, 95-I03 


CHAPTER   V. 

MiSHNAS  A  TO  G.  By  ten  sayings  the  world  was  created.  For  what 
purpose  is  this  stated  ?  Whence  is  it  deduced  that  a  single  person  is  equal 
to  the  whole  creation  ?  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  showed  unto  Adam 
all  succeeding  generations,  together  with  their  preachers,  directors,  leaders, 
prophets,   heroes,  criminals,  and  their  pious.     Nine  hundred  and  seventy- 


SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS.  xv 

four  generations  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  Torah  was  already 
written,  etc.  He  created  in  man  all  that  he  created  in  his  world — how  so  ? 
Ten  generations  were  there  from  Adam  to  Noah.  For  what  purpose  was 
this  stated  ?  The  Lord  said  :  I  will  not  equal  the  evil  thoughts  to  the  good 
thoughts  so  long  as  their  fate  has  not  yet  been  sealed.  Ten  generations 
were  there  from  Noah  to  Abraham.  For  what  purpose  was  it  necessary  to 
state  this  ?  With  ten  temptations  was  Abraham  our  father  tempted.  They 
are  as  follows,  etc.  In  contrast  with  these  ten  temptations  the  Lord  performed 
ten  miracles  for  his  descendants  in  Egypt.  When  our  fathers  stood  by  the 
sea,  etc.  "Arise,  and  pass  through  it,"  etc.  With  ten  temptations  did  our 
ancestors  tempt  God  in  the  wilderness.  By  means  of  ten  trials  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  tested  our  forefathers.  This  sin  with  which  the  Israel- 
ites were  afflicted  is  enough  for  that  time,  etc.  Ten  names  of  praise  are 
applied  to  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He.  Ten  ignominious  names  are 
applied  to  the  idols.  There  are  two  sons  of  the  clear  oil.  This  refers  to 
Aaron  and  Messiah.  In  the  Torah  there  is  written  eleven  times  the  word 
"she"  when  it  ought  to  be  "he."  Ten  times  did  the  Shekhina  descend 
upon  the  earth.  Ten  degrees  the  Shekhina  removed  itself  from  one  place  to 
another.  A  prophet  is  called  by  ten  different  names.  There  are  ten  names 
for  the  Holy  Spirit.     Ten  are  called  "  living."     Ten  miracles  were  wrought 

for  our  fathers  in  Egypt, 103-115 

MiSHNAS  Hto  O.  Ten  miracles  were  performed  for  our  forefathers  in 
Jerusalem.  Jerusalem  never  was  defiled  by  leprosy.  How  Kimchith,  the 
mother  of  R.  Ishmael,  saw  her  two  sons  as  high-priests  on  the  same  day. 
The  men  of  Sodom  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come.  About  Kora'h  and 
his  company.  "  The  Lord  killeth,  and  maketh  alive  ;  he  bringeth  down  to 
the  grave,  and  bringeth  up,"  has  reference  to  them.  The  generation  of  the 
desert.  "  Gather  together  unto  me  my  pious  servants,  who  make  a  covenant 
with  me  by  sacrifice,"  has  reference  to  them.  The  ten  tribes  have  no  share 
in  the  world  to  come.  R.  Aqiba,  however,  said  :  "As  the  day  is  first'dark 
and  then  lightens  up,  so  also  their  darkness  will  be  followed  by  light."  The 
following  seven  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come,  etc.  There  are  three 
kings  and  four  commoners  who  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come.  Absa- 
lom has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come.  Seven  things  mark  the  clod,  and 
seven  there  are  for  the  sage.  There  are  seven  creations  of  as  many  grades 
of  importance.  Man  possesses  six  qualifications,  three  of  which  belong  also 
to  the  beast,  and  three  to  the  angels.  The  evil  spirits  possess  six  qualifica- 
tions, three  of  which  belong  to  man.  There  are  seven  sorts  of  hypocrites. 
That  which  is  hidden  is  only  so  from  human  beings,  but  not  from  Heaven. 
There  are  seven  things  which,  if  used  moderately,  are  wholesome  to  the 
body,  and  if  in  excess  are  the  reverse.  With  seven  things  God  created  the 
world.  Seven  attributes  are  serving  before  the  throne  of  Grace.  There  are 
seven  dwelling-places.  A  wise  man  does  not  speak  before  those  who  sur- 
pass him  in  wisdom  and  years  ;  and  does  not  interrupt  another  in  his 
speech;  admits  the  truth,  etc.  Seven  kinds  of  punishments  come  on  account 
of  seven  cardinal  transgressions.  About  the  execution  of  R.  Simeon  b, 
Gamaliel  and  R.  Ishmael  b.  Elisha  the  high-priest.  Captivity  comes  upon 
the  world,  etc.  Five  are  not  to  be  forgiven.  Four  kinds  of  views  are  held 
by  men  concerning  property, 115-131 


xvi  SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS. 

MiSHNAS  Pro  GG.  There  are  four  kinds  of  dispositions  among  men. 
There  are  four  kinds  of  pupils.  There  are  four  kinds  of  charity-givers. 
Tiiere  are  four  kinds  of  visitors  of  the  house  of  learning.  There  are  four 
kinds  of  the  disciples  of  the  wise.  Love  inspired  by  ulterior  motives,  etc. 
Whatsoever  gainsaying  is  for  the  sake  of  Heaven  will  have  good  results. 
Whosoever  causes  many  to  be  righteous,  sin  prevails  not  over  him.  In 
whomsoever  are  the  following  three  things,  he  is  a  disciple  of  Abraham,  etc. 
Be  courageous  as  the  panther,  light-winged  as  the  eagle,  swift  as  the  deer, 
and  strong  as  the  lion.  One  five  years  old  should  study  Scripture,  etc. 
Turn  it  and  turn  it  again,  for  everything  can  be  found  therein,      .      131-133 

CHAPTER   VI. 

MiSHNAS  A  TO  R.  Whosoever  is  busied  in  Torah  for  the  love  thereof 
merits  many  things.  Every  day  a  Heavenly  voice  goes  forth  from  Mount 
Horeb  and  proclaims  as  follows,  etc.  He  who  learns  from  his  companion 
one  chapter,  etc.,  is  bound  to  do  him  honor.  The  path  of  Torah,  etc. 
Seek  not  greatness  for  thyself,  and  desire  not  honor.  Greater  is  Torah  than 
the  priesthood,  and  than  the  kingdom.  There  are  four  things  which  bear 
good  fruit  in  this  world.  A  meritorious  act  has  both  principal  and  benefit. 
One  who  causes  many  to  be  righteous,  no  sin  prevails  jupon  him.  Regard- 
ing dreams,  there  are  four  sages,  three  scholars,  three  books  of  the  prophets, 
and  three  books  of  the  Hagiographa.  Every  assembly  that  is  for  the  sake  of 
performing  a  religious  duty  remains  everlasting.  Comeliness,  strength, 
wealth,  honor,  wisdom,  age,  hoariness,  and  sons  are  becoming  to  the  right- 
eous, etc.  If  thou  shouldst  give  me  all  the  silver,  gold,  and  goodly  stones 
and  pearls  that  are  in  the  world,  I  would  not  dwell  but  in  a  place  of  Torah, 
Five  possessions  had  the  Holy  One  in  this  world.  Whatsoever  the  Lord 
created  in  this  world  He  created  only  for  His  glory.  There  are  three 
crowns  :  the  crown  of  Torah,  priesthood,  and  kingdom.  Three  things  were 
said  of  charitable  men.  There  are  three  different  kinds  among  scholars. 
There  are  three  different  kinds  of  sweat  that  are  beneficial  to  the  body. 
There  are  six  kinds  of  tears.  There  are  three  advantages  in  an  earthen 
vessel.  There  are  three  advantages  in  a  glass  vessel.  The  money  that  the 
Israelites  carried  away  from  Egypt  returned  to  Egypt.  If  you  do  the  least 
wrong  to  your  companion,  it  shall  be  considered  by  you  the  greatest  wrong, 
etc.     The  following  articles  were  hidden,  etc.,      ....         I33-I43 


SYNOPSIS   OF  SUBJECTS 


OF 


TRACT  DERECH  ERETZ-RABBA 
AND  ZUTA. 


RABBA. 


CHAPTER   II. 

Of  the  Sadducees,  common  informers,  the  wicked,  the  hypocrites,  the 
heretics,  the  Scripture  says,  etc.  Of  the  terrifying,  the  overbearing,  the 
haughty,  the  barefaced,  and  of  those  who  develop  only  their  muscular 
strength,  the  Scripture  says,  etc.  Of  evil-thinkers,  story-tellers,  tale-bearers, 
smooth-tongued  persons,  the  Scripture  says,  etc.  Who  assaults  his  neigh- 
bor in  private,  and  who  insults  him  in  public,  etc.  Who  forestalls  fruit, 
raises  the  prices,  diminishes  the  measure,  accepts  payment  in  large-sized 
shekels  only,  and  who  lives  on  usury.  The  following  leave  no  inheritance 
to  their  children,  etc.  The  conceited,  the  slanderers,  and  those  who  indulge 
in  obscene  language,  who  are  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  etc.  Who  lets  his 
young  son  marry  an  older  woman,  and  who  marries  off  his  daughter  to  an 
eld  man,  and  who  bestows  favors  upon  those  who  are  unworthy,  etc.  Who 
betrays  his  partner,  does  not  return  a  lost  thing  to  its  rightful  owner,  loans 
money  to  another  in  order  to  get  possession  of  his  house  and  field,  and 
who  lives  immorally  with  his  wife,  and  maliciously  slanders  his  wife,  etc. 
Who  are  wronged  and  do  not  wrong,  who  consider  themselves  contemptible, 
and  who  overcome  their  passion,  etc.  Who  loves  his  wife  as  himself,  honors 
her  more  than  himself,  who  leads  his  children  on  the  right  path,  and  who 
marries  off  his  son  in  due  time,  etc.  Who  loves  his  neighbor,  loans  even  a 
small  amount  to  a  poor  man,  etc.  Who  truthfully  repent,  who  receive  the 
repentant  into  their  midst,  who  judge  rightfully,  reprove  truthfully,  propa- 
gate purity,  are  pure  of  heart,  are  merciful,  distribute  charity,  exert  them- 
selves in  the  study  of  the  Law.  Search  for  an  opportunity  to  do  good,  pur- 
sue righteousness,  etc.  On  account  of  the  following  four  things  an  eclipse 
of  the  sun  occurs,  etc.  On  account  of  the  following  four  things  an  eclipse 
of  both  the  sun  and  the  moon  occurs,  etc.     On  account  of  the  following  four 


xviii  SYNOPSIS   OF   SUBJECTS. 

things  the  estates  of  the  citizens  are  destroyed,  etc.  Do  not  fret  thyself  to 
be  equal  to  the  evil-doers.  There  is  no  sitting  above,  neither  is  there  eating, 
etc., 1-6 


CHAPTERS   III.   TO   VI. 

One  who  bears  in  mind  the  following  four  things,  etc.,  will  never  sin. 
Think  of  a  big  palace  in  the  centre  of  which  the  vat  of  a  tanner  is  placed. 
If  a  man  allows  his  lips  to  pass  only  respectable  words.  Be  careful,  each  of 
you,  in  honoring  your  neighbor.  Be  always  pleasant  at  your  entering  and 
at  your  leaving.  The  angels,  Abraham,  and  Lot.  It  is  customary  that, 
when  entering,  the  master  of  the  house  enter  first  and  the  guest  after  him  ; 
the  reverse  when  leaving.  Never  shall  a  man  enter  the  house  of  his  neigh- 
bor without  permission.  The  philosopher,  Rabban  Gamaliel,  and  his  com- 
rades. Always  consider  strangers  as  burglars,  and  at  the  same  time  honor 
them  as  if  each  of  them  were  R.  Gamaliel  himself.  One  who  enters  his 
neighbor's  house  shall  do  what  he  is  told  by  the  host  (provided  it  is  legiti- 
mate). The  legend  about  Simon  b.  Antiptaris,  his  guests,  and  R.  Jehoshua. 
A  man  shall  never  be  angry  at  his  meals.  Always  shall  a  man  try  to  agree 
with  the  majority  of  the  people.  Hillel  the  Elder,  his  wife,  and  the  poor 
man.  One  shall  not  begin  to  eat  the  heads,  but  the  leaves,  of  garlic  or 
onions,        , 6-12 

CHAPTERS   VII.   TO    IX. 

When  two  are  sitting  at  the  table,  the  elder  one  commences  to  eat  first 
and  the  younger  one  after  him.  One  shall  not  eat  before  the  fourth  hour. 
One  who  enters  a  house  shall  not  ask  for  food,  but  shall  wait  until  he  is 
invited.  One  should  not  offer  presents  to  his  neighbor,  knowing  that  he 
would  not  accept  them.  When  one  who  does  not  intend  to  buy  is  in  the 
market,  he  should  not  ask  for  the  prices,  for  he  misleads  the  sellers.  One 
should  not  use  a  slice  of  bread  to  cover  therewith  a  dish.  Five  things  said 
Rabbi  in  regard  to  bread.  One  who  comes  to  the  table  to  take  his  meal 
shall  not  take  his  portion  and  give  it  to  the  waiter.  Guests  must  not  give 
anything  to  the  son  of  the  host,  etc.,        , 12-15 

CHAPTERS   X.  AND  XI. 

One  who  enters  the  bath-house  may  say,  etc.  How  should  one  conduct 
himself  before  bathing  ?  One  who  is  not  careful  is  an  ass's  equal  ;  one  who 
eats  in  the  market  is  a  dog's  equal.  One  must  not  spit  in  the  presence  of  his 
neighbor,  even  in  a  bath-house.  One  shall  not  greet  his  neighbor  when  he 
is  washing  himself.  He  who  walks  the  road.  A  common  informer  is  con- 
sidered a  murderer.  He  who  hates  his  neighbor  without  cause  is  also  con- 
sidered such.  One  who  sets  a  definite  time  for  the  redemption  of  Israel 
through  Messiah  will  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come,      .        ,        16-19 


SYNOrSIS    OF   SUBJECTS.  xix 


ZUTA. 

CHAPTERS  I.  TO  IV. 

What  are  the  qualities  of  sages  ?  Their  tliought  concerning  this  world. 
If  you  have  sustained  a  loss  of  your  property,  remember  that  Job,  etc.  When 
you  hear  others  insult  you,  do  not  answer  them.  Love  the  Law  ;  love  all 
creatures  and  respect  them.  Love  doubtfulness.  Keep  aloof  from  everything 
that  may  bring  to  sin.  Keep  aloof  from  grumbling.  Seven  patriarchs  are 
resting  in  glory.  Let  all  thy  ways  be  for  the  sake  of  Heaven.  Do  not  dis- 
cuss in  the  presence  of  one  who  is  greater  than  you  in  wisdom.  Accept  the 
words  of  Law,  even  when  you  are  in  affliction.  Be  afraid  of  a  light  sin.  Do 
not  say,  "  I  will  flatter  this  man,"  etc.  If  thou  hast  done  much  good  to  some 
one,  consider  it  as  very  little.  If  others  have  done  thee  much  wrong,  etc. 
Do  not  hate  the  one  who  reproves  thee.  Let  it  be  thy  habit  to  say,  "  I  do 
not  know."  The  commencement  of  making  vows  is  the  door  to  foolishness. 
Fifteen  customs  are  ascribed  to  the  sages.  Be  as  the  lower  threshhold,  upon 
which  all  persons  tread.  The  society  of  scholars  is  always  agreeable.  What 
should  one  study  more — Scripture,  Mishnayoth,  or  Talmud  ?  No  pay  shall 
be  exacted  for  teaching.  Do  not  complain  of  your  being  less  wise  than 
another.  Do  not  complain  that  another  one  is  beautiful  and  you  are  ugly. 
Let  your  ears  not  listen  to  vain  talk.  Be  not  afraid  of  the  court  of  justice  on 
earth.  If  you  perform  all  the  commandments  with  joy,  etc.  All  that  is 
said  above  is  a  warning  to  you, 25-27 


CHAPTERS   V.   TO   IX. 

A  SCHOLAR  must  not  eat  standing,  etc.,  etc.  By  four  things  the  scholar  is 
recognized,  etc.  The  beauty  of  wisdom  is  modesty.  The  beauty  of  noble 
performance  is  secrecy.  Four  things  are  derogatory  to  scholars,  etc.  When 
entering,  the  greater  shall  be  first,  etc.  For  saying  benediction,  the  greater 
is  first.  The  first  step  to  sin  is  in  one's  thoughts.  A  scholar  must  be  care- 
ful in  his  eating,  drinking,  washing,  anointing,  etc.  After  peace  but  not 
after  war.  Rather  follow  behind  a  lion  than  behind  a  woman.  Who 
respects  the  sages  ?,  etc.  Keep  aloof  from  anger.  Love  the  poor  in  order 
that  your  children  shall  not  come  to  poverty,  etc.  If  you  keep  your  mouth 
from  slander,  you  will  spend  all  the  days  of  life  in  peace.  When  you  see 
your  neighbor  has  become  poor,  do  not  refuse  to  help  him.  If  you  lower 
yourself,  the  Lord  will  lift  you  up.  This  world  resembles  the  eyeball  of  a 
man,  etc., 27-31 

THE    CHAPTER  ON    PEACE. 

Although  evil  decrees  are  enacted,  one  after  another,  against  Israel,  still 
they  endure  forever.     Seek  peace  at  the  place  where  you  are,  and  if  you  do 


XX  SYNOPSIS   OF  SUBJECTS. 

not  find  it,  seek  it  in  other  places.  All  manner  of  lying  is  prohibited,  except 
it  be  to  make  peace  between  one  and  his  neighbor.  Great  is  peace,  in  that 
the  covenant  of  the  priests  was  made  with  peace.  When  the  Messiah  shall 
come  to  Israel,  he  will  begin  with  peace.  Great  is  peace,  in  that  all  the 
benedictions  and  prayers  conclude  with  peace.  He  who  loves  peace  runs 
after  peace,  offers  peace,  and  answers  peace,  the  Holy  One,  etc.,      .      31-34 


TRACT    ABOTH. 


TRACT  ABOTH. 

{Fathers  of  the  Synagogue — Ethics^ 


CHAPTER   I. 

MisHNA  A,  Moses  received  the  Law  on  Sinai  and 
delivered  it  to  Joshua;  Joshua  in  turn  handed  it  down  to 
the  Elders  (not  to  the  seventy  Elders  of  Moses'  time  but 
to  the  later  Elders  who  have  ruled  Israel,  and  each  of 
them  delivered  it  to  his  successor)  ;  from  the  Elders  it 
descended  to  the  prophets  (beginning  with  Eli  and 
Samuel),  and  each  of  them  delivered  it  to  his  successors 
until  it  reached  the  men  of  the  Great  Assembly.  The 
last  named  originated  three  maxims  :  "  Be  not  hasty  in 
judgment ;  Bring  up  many  disciples  ;  and,  Erect  safe- 
guards for  the  Law." 

Tosephhta — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  Moses  was  sanctified  in  the  cloud,  and  received  the  Torah 
from  Sinai,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxiv.  i6] :  "  And  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  abode  upon  Mount  Sinai,"  which  means  on  Moses  (for 
what  purpose  ?),  to  purify  him ;  this  occurred  after  the  ten  com- 
mandments had  been  given.  So  says  R.  Jose  the  Galilean ;  R. 
Aqiba,  however,  says:  It  is  written  [ibid.] :  "  And  the  cloud  cov- 
ered it  six  days."  This  refers  to  the  mountain,  before  the  ten 
commandments  had  been  given,  and  this  is  what  is  written  fur- 
ther on  [ibid.] :  "  And  he  called  unto  Moses  the  seventh  day  out 
of  the  cloud  "  (for  what  purpose  ?— only)  to  confer  honor  upon 
him. 

Said  R.  Nathan:  Why  did  Moses  stay  the  entire  six  days 

*  Chapter  I.  of  the  original. 


2  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

without  communication  from  the  Shekhina  ?  To  cleanse  his 
body  of  all  the  food  and  drink  it  contained,  that  he  might  be 
like  angels  at  the  time  of  his  consecration. 

Said  R.  Mathia  b.  Heresh  to  him:  Rabbi,  all  this  stated 
above  was  done  only  to  overawe  him,  that  he  might  receive  the 
words  of  the  Torah  with  awe,  terror,  fear  and  trembling,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  ii.  ii] :  "  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear  and  rejoice  with 
trembling." 

It  happened  that  R.  Josiah  and  R.  Mathia  b.  Heresh  were 
both  sitting  and  studying  the  Law.  R.  Josiah  then  departed 
to  attend  to  worldly  affairs.  Said  R.  Mathia  to  him:  "  Rabbi, 
what  dost  thou  gain  by  forsaking  the  words  of  the  living  God, 
and  devoting  thyself  to  worldly  affairs  ?  Even  though  thou  art 
my  master,  and  I  thy  disciple,  yet  I  dare  say  that  it  is  not  right 
to  do  so."  (Lest  one  say  that  R.  Josiah  did  so  from  jealousy,) 
it  was  said:  While  sitting  and  studying  the  Torah  they  were 
jealous  of  each  other,  but  when  they  parted  they  were  like 
friends  from  youth. 

Through  Moses  the  Torah  was  given  on  Sinai,  as  it  is  written 
[Deut.  v.  19]:  "  And  he  wrote  them  on  two  tables  of  stone,  and 
he  gave  them  unto  me."  And  also  [Lev.  xxvi.  46]:  "These 
are  the  statutes  and  ordinances  and  laws,  which  the  Lord  made 
between  him  and  the  children  of  Israel  on  Mount  Sinai,  by  the 
hand  of  Moses."  The  Law  which  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  has  given  to  Israel,  was  given  only  in  the  hand  of  Moses, 
as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxxi.  17]:  "  Between  me  and  the  children 
of  Israel."  So  Moses  (because  of  his  purification  and  sanctifica- 
tion)  was  privileged  to  be  the  representative  of  Israel  before  the 
Lord. 

Moses  offered  the  ram  of  consecration  and  prepared  the  oil 
of  anointment,  and  anointed  therewith  Aaron  and  his  sons  dur- 
ing all  the  seven  days  of  consecration.  With  the  same  oil  high- 
priests  and  kings  were  afterward  anointed,  and  Elazar  burned 
the  (first)  red-cow,  with  the  ashes  of  which  the  unclean  were 
purified  in  later  generations.  Said  R.  Eliezer:  "  The  oil  of 
anointment  was  of  such  importance  that  it  remained  even  for 
the  later  generations,  for  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  consecrated 
with  the  oil  of  anointment,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxx.  30] :  *  And 
Aaron  and  his  softs  shalt  thou  anoint,  and  consecrate  them  to  be 
priests.'  "  (Hence  we  see  that  although  Aaron  was  a  high-priest, 
his  sons,  nevertheless,  stood  in  need  of  anointment.) 

Joshua  received  it  (the  Law)  from  Moses,  as  it  is  written 


TRACT   ABOTH.  3 

[Numb,  xxvii.  20]  :  "  And  thou  shalt  put  some  of  thy  greatness 
upon  him,  in  order  that  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of 
Israel  maybe  obedient."  The  elders  (who  lived  after  Moses) 
received  it  from  Joshua,  as  it  is  written  [Judges  ii.  7] :  "  And 
the  people  served  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  Joshua,  and  all  the 
days  of  the  elders  that  lived  many  days  after  Joshua,  who  had 
seen  all  the  great  deeds  of  the  Lord,  which  he  had  done  for 
Israel."  The  judges  received  it  from  the  elders,  as  it  is  written 
[Ruth,  i.  i] :  "  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  days  when  the  judges 
judged."*  The  prophets  received  it  from  the  judges  (begin- 
ning with  Samuel  the  prophet,  who  was  also  a  judge),  as  it  is 
written  [Jerem.  vii.  25]:  "  And  I  sent  unto  you  all  v^y  servants 
the  prophets,  sending  them  daily  in  the  morning  early."  Hag- 
gai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi  received  it  from  the  prophets.  The 
men  of  the  Great  Assembly  received  it  from  Haggai,  Zechariah, 
and  Malachi,  and  they  said  the  following  three  things  mentioned 
in  the  Mishna  : 

''Be  deliberate  in  judgment .''  How  so?  It  means  a  man 
shall  be  slow  in  his  judgment,  for  he  who  is  slow  is  deliberate, 
as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxv.  i] :  "  Also  these  are  the  proverbs  of 
Solomon,  which  the  men  of  Hezekiah  the  king  of  Judah  have 
collected."  They  have  not  collected  them,  but  they  were  de- 
liberating upon  them  before  (making  them  public).  Abba  Saul, 
however,  said:  "  Not  only  were  they  deliberating  over  them, 
but  they  also  explained  them." 

Formerly  it  was  said  :  The  books  of  Proverbs,  Song  of  Songs, 
and  Ecclesiastes  were  hidden,  because  they  are  only  parables, 
and  do  not  belong  to  the  Hagiographa;  the  men  of  the  Great 
Assembly,  however,  came  and  explained  them,  as  it  is  written 
[Prov.  vii.  7-20]:  "  And  I  beheld  among  the  simple  ones,  I  dis- 
cerned among  the  youths,  a  lad  void  of  sense,  etc.  ;  and,  be- 
hold, a  woman  came  to  meet  him  with  the  attire  of  a  harlot  and 
obdurate  of  heart;  she  is  noisy  and  ungovernable;  in  her  house 
her  feet  never  rest;  at  one  time  she  is  in  the  street,  at  another 
in  the  open  places,  and  near  every  corner  doth  she  lurk,  and  she 
caught  hold  of  him,  and  kissed  him,  and  with  an  impudent  face 
she  said  to  him,  '  I  had  bound  myself  to  bring  peace-offerings; 
this  day  have  I  paid  my  vows;  therefore  I  am  come  forth  to 
meet  thee,  to  seek  thy  presence  diligently,  and  I  have  found 

*  The  Talmud  infers  this  from  the  two  words  shephot  hasJwphtivt,  which  Hterally 
mean  that  the  judges  were  judged.  Hence,  who  have  judged  the  judges?  The 
elders. 


4  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

thee.  With  tapestry  coverings  have  I  decked  my  bed,  with  em- 
broidered coverlids  of  the  fine  linen  of  Egypt.  I  have  sprinkled 
my  couch  with  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cinnamon.  Come,  let  us  in- 
dulge in  love  until  the  morning:  let  us  delight  ourselves  with 
dalliances.  For  the  man  is  not  in  his  house,  he  is  gone  on  a 
journey  a  great  way  off;  the  bag  of  money  hath  he  taken  with 
him ;  by  the  day  of  the  new-moon  festival  only  will  he  come 
home.'  "  And  it  is  written  also  in  Song  of  Songs  [vii.  12,  13]: 
"  Come,  my  friend,  let  us  go  into  the  field;  let  us  spend  the 
night  in  the  villages;  let  us  get  up  early  to  the  vineyards;  let  us 
see  if  the  wine  have  blossomed,  whether  the  young  grape  have 
opened  (to  the  view),  whether  the  pomegranate  have  budded : 
there  will  I  give  my  caresses  unto  thee."  And  it  is  written 
again  in  Ecclesiastes  [xi.  9] :  "  Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy 
childhood  ;  and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth- 
ful vigor,  and  walk  firmly  in  the  ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  (the 
direction  which)  thy  eyes  see;  but  know  thou,  that  concerning 
all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment."  And  again 
in  Song  of  Songs  [vii.  10]:  "  I  am  my  friend's,  and  toward  me 
is  his  desire."  So  we  see  that  the  last-mentioned  passage  of  the 
Song  of  Songs  explains  all  that  was  mentioned  above  ;  under  the 
term  "  my  friend's  "  the  Lord  is  understood.  Hence  (it  is  sure) 
that  they  were  not  only  deliberating,  but  also  explaining  them. 

According  to  others  the  statement  "  Be  deliberate  in  judg- 
ment "  means  to  teach  that  one  shall  be  careful  with  his  words, 
and  also  not  to  have  an  irascible  manner  against  those  who  have 
received  his  words,  for  one  who  is  easily  provoked  by  those  who 
have  received  his  words  often  forgets  his  (original)  words;  for  so 
we  find  with  Moses,  our  master,  who  had  forgotten  his  (origi- 
nal) words.     (See  Pesachim,  p.  129:  "  Resh  Lakish  said,"  etc.) 

And  where  do  we  find  that  Moses  was  irascible  with  his 
hearers?  It  is  written  [Numb.  xxxi.  14]:  "And  Moses  was 
wroth.  .  .  .  Have  you  allowed  all  the  females  to  live?" 
And  it  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  16]:  "  Behold  .  .  .  through 
the  counsel  of  Bil'am."  How  so  ?  Infer  from  this  that  this  was 
the  advice  of  Bil'am  given  to  Balak :  "  These  people,  your  ene- 
mies, are  hungry  for  food  and  are  thirsty  for  drink,  as  they  have 
nothing  but  manna.  Go  and  put  up  tents  for  them,  place  in 
them  food  and  drink,  and  seat  in  them  beautiful  women,  daugh- 
ters of  nobles,  so  that  the  people  may  turn  to  Baal  Peor. "  (This 
will  be  given  in  Sanhedrin  in  detail.) 

Now  from  this  we  may  draw  an  a  fortiori  conclusion.     If 


TRACT   ABOTH.  5 

Moses  our  master,  the  wisest  of  the  wise  and  the  father  of  the 
prophets,  at  the  time  he  became  angry  at  his  listeners  forgot  his 
original  w^ords,  so  much  the  more  would  we  commoners.  From 
this  we  should  learn  how  necessary  it  is  to  be  careful  and  not 
irascible. 

Ben  Azai  says :  Be  careful  in  thy  words,  that  thy  hearers  shall 
not  err  through  them. 

"  And  erect  safeguards  for  the  Law.''  That  means  that  one 
shall  make  a  safeguard  to  his  words  as  the  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  has  done.  Adam  the  First  made  one  to  his;  the  Torah 
made  one  to  its  words;  Moses  and  Job  likewise  made  safeguards 
to  their  words,  and  so  also  the  Prophets  and  Hagiographers  have 
all  made  safeguards  to  their  words. 

The  safeguard  that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  made  is 
this  [Deut.  xxix.  23]:  "  Even  all  the  nations  will  say,  wherefore 
hath  the  Lord  done  thus  unto  this  land  ? "  Infer  from  this  that 
it  was  known  beforehand  to  Him,  by  whose  one  word  the  uni- 
verse was  created,  that  the  future  generations  will  ask  this; 
therefore  he  said  to  Moses:  Write  the  answer  for  the  future 
generations  [ibid.,  ibid.  24,  25]:  "  Then  shall  men  say,  because 
they  have  forsaken  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  etc.,  and  they 
went  and  served  other  gods  and  bowed  down  to  them — gods 
which  they  knew  not,  and  which  he  had  not  assigned  unto 
them." 

We  see,  then,  that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  made  these 
answers,  to  prevent  His  people  from  incurring  His  wrath  by 
their  questions,  and  that  they  might  live  in  peace. 

Adam  the  First's  safeguard  to  his  words  was  thus  [Gen.  ii. 
16,  17]:  "  And  the  Lord  God  commanded  the  man,  saying.  Of 
every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat;  but  of  the  tree 
of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it;  for 
on  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die." 

We  see,  then,  that  Adam  did  not  want  to  give  Eve  the  exact 
words  he  received,  but  he  added  [ibid.  iii.  3]:  "Ye  shall  not  eat 
of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die,"  in  order  that  they 
should  take  care  even  not  to  touch  the  tree.  At  that  time  the 
wicked  serpent  said  to  himself:  "  As  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
make  Adam  stumble  (for  he  himself  received  the  words  from  the 
Lord),  I  will  make  Eve  stumble."  He  sat  by  her  and  had  a 
long  conversation  with  her.  He  said  to  her:  "  As  thou  sayest 
that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  has  forbidden  thee  to  touch 
it,  see  that  I  am  touching  it  and  will  not  die,  and  the  same  will 


6  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

be  with  thee."  And  so  he  did:  he  arose  and  shook  the  tree 
with  his  hands  and  feet  till  the  fruit  fell  down.  [According  to 
others  the  serpent  did  not  actually  touch  the  tree  at  all,  because 
as  soon  as  the  tree  saw  the  serpent  it  stopped  him  and  said : 
"  Thou  wicked  one,  do  not  touch  me,"  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xxxvi. 
12]:  "  Let  not  come  against  me  the  foot  of  pride,  and  let  not 
the  hand  of  the  wicked  chase  me  off."  Another  explanation  of 
the  above  passage  is,  that  it  has  referred  to  Titus,  who  beckoned 
with  his  hand,  and  struck  the  altar,  saying:  "  Aujo?!  Afjo?! 
(wolf!)  thou  art  a  king,  and  I  am  a  king,  come  and  engage  with 
me  in  battle.  How  many  oxen  were  slaughtered  upon  thee; 
how  many  heads  of  birds  were  pinched  off  on  thee;  how  many 
measures  of  wine  were  poured  upon  thee;  how  much  incense  of 
spices  was  burned  upon  thee,  thou  art  the  one  who  destroys  the 
whole  world,"  as  it  is  written  [Is.  xxix.  i]:  "  Woe  to  Ariel,  to 
Ariel,  the  town  where  David  dwelt!  Add  ye  year  to  year;  let 
the  festivals  come  round  in  order."] 

The  serpent  said  again  to  her  (Eve):  "  If  thou  sayest  that  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  forbade  to  eat  it,  see  I  eat  of  it,  and 
do  not  die,  and  thou  mayest  do  the  same  and  thou  wilt  not  die." 
So  Eve  said  to  herself,  the  injunctions  of  my  master  are  un- 
founded. [(There  is  a  tradition  that)  at  first  Eve  called  Adam 
nothing  but  master.]  She  then  herself  ate  of  the  fruit  and  gave 
it  to  Adam,  and  he  too  ate,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  iii.  6]:  "  And 
when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food,  and  that 
it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes,"  etc. 

With  ten  curses  was  Eve  cursed  at  that  time,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.,  ibid.  16]:  "  Unto  the  woman  he  said,  I  will  greatly  multi- 
ply thy  pain  and  (the  suffering  of)  thy  conception ;  in  pain  shalt 
thou  bring  forth  (children),  and  for  thy  husband  shall  be  thy  de- 
sire, but  he  shall  rule  over  thee."  "  I  will  greatly  multiply" — 
those  are  the  two  afflictions  of  blood  that  a  woman  has  to  suffer: 
that  of  her  menstruation  and  that  primce  noctis.  "  And  thy 
suffering"  means  the  rearing  of  children;  "and  thy  concep- 
tion "  means  the  pain  of  pregnancy.  "  In  pain  shalt  thou  bring 
forth  children  "  is  to  be  taken  in  its  literal  sense.  "  And  for  thy 
husband  shall  be  thy  desire  " ;  infer  from  this  that  the  woman  is 
longing  for  her  husband  during  his  absence  on  a  journey.  She 
is  wrapped  like  a  mourner,  separated  from  all  men  as  if  she  were 
in  prison  and  as  if  she  were  excommunicated  from  all  mankind. 
And  who  caused  all  this  ?  The  words  that  Adam  added:  "  Ye 
shall  not  touch  it."     From  this  they  deduced  the  maxims  that 


TRACT   ABOTH.  7 

if  one  makes  a  safeguard  to  his  words  (without  stating  that  it  is 
such)  he  cannot  stand  by  it.  Consequently  they  said  that  one 
must  not  add  to  what  he  has  heard.  Said  R.  Jose  (this  is  what 
people  say):  "  It  is  better  to  have  a  wall  of  ten  spans  which  is 
solid,  than  one  of  a  hundred  ells  which  is  tottering." 

What  were  the  thoughts  of  the  wicked  serpent  at  that  time  ? 
"  I  will  slay  Adam  and  marry  his  wife,  and  I  will  be  king  of  the 
whole  world,  I  will  walk  erect,  and  will  banquet  on  the  best  of 
the  land."  Then  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  Me,  said  to  him: 
"  Thou  hast  thought  to  slay  Adam  and  marry  his  wife,  there- 
fore I  will  put  enmity  (between  thee  and  the  woman) ;  thou  hast 
thought  to  be  king  of  the  world,  therefore  be  thou  cursed  among 
all  the  cattle ;  thou  hast  thought  to  walk  erect,  therefore  upon 
thy  belly  shalt  thou  go;  thou  hast  thought  to  banquet  on  the 
best  of  the  land,  therefore  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of 
thy  life." 

R.  Simeon  b.  Menassia  says:  "  Woe  that  a  great  servant  was 
lost  to  the  world,  for  if  the  serpent  had  not  been  accursed,  every 
one  would  have  had  two  serpents  in  his  house.  He  would  send 
one  to  the  West,  and  the  other  to  the  East,  and  they  would 
bring  him  diamonds,  precious  stones  and  pearls,  and  all  the  valu- 
able things  of  the  world,  and  no  creature  could  stand  against 
them,  and  furthermore  they  could  be  used  instead  of  a  camel, 
ass,  and  mule  in  the  field,  garden,"  etc. 

R.  Jehudah  b.  Bathyra  says:  "  Adam  was  sitting  in  the  Gar- 
den of  Eden  and  the  angels  served  him  with  roasted  meat  and 
chilled  wine."  When  the  serpent  saw  this  and  observed  this 
honor,  he  became  jealous. 

How  was  Adam  created  ?  The  first  hour  his  dust  was  gath- 
ered, the  second  the  form  was  created,  the  third  he  became  a 
body,  the  fourth  his  members  were  joined,  the  fifth  the  open- 
ings were  developed,  the  sixth  the  soul  was  put  unto  him,  the 
seventh  he  rose  to  his  feet,  the  eighth  Eve  was  mated  to  him, 
the  ninth  he  was  brought  into  the  Garden  of  Eden,  the  tenth 
the  command  was  given  to  him,  the  eleventh  he  sinned,  the 
twelfth  he  was  driven  out  and  went  away;  this  is  what  is  writ- 
ten [Ps.  xlix.  21]  :  "  Ve  Adam  bikor  balyolln.''  *  (Adam,  "  Bal 
Yolin  " — he  shall  not  stay  over  night.)  [We  have  learned  in 
Tract  Rosh  Hashana,  p.  55:  On  the  first  day  which  psalm  did 


*  The  translation  of  this  passage  is  entirely  different.      The  Talmud,  however, 
interprets  this  to  mean  Adam  the  First,  and  takes  it  literally. 


8  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

they  say  ?  "  Unto  the  Lord  belongeth  the  earth  with  what  fill- 
eth  it"  [Ps.  xxi.  17];  this  was  because  He  created  and  is  still 
continuing  to  create,  and  He  is  judging  the  world.  On  the  sec- 
ond day  they  said:  "Great  is  the  Lord  and  highly  praised,  in 
the  city  of  our  God"  [ibid,  xlviii.  2];  it  is  because  He  divided 
all  His  creatures  and  became  the  one  ruler  of  the  universe.  On 
the  third  they  said:  "God  standeth  in  the  congregation  of 
God,  in  the  midst  of  judges  doth  He  judge"  [ibid.  Ixxxii.  i]; 
it  is  because  He  then  created  the  sea,  the  land,  and  the  earth 
was  rolled  to  its  right  place,  and  room  was  made  for  His  congre- 
gation. On  the  fourth  day  they  said:  "  O  God  of  vengeance, 
Lord!  O  God  of  vengeance,  shine  forth"  [Ps.  xciv.  i] ;  be- 
cause then  He  created  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  and  the 
planets  which  give  light  to  the  world,  and  the  Lord  will  punish 
those  who  worship  them.  On  the  fifth  they  said:  "  Sing  aloud 
unto  God  our  strength;  shout  joyfully  unto  the  God  of  Jacob  " 
[Ps.  Ixxxi.  2];  because  He  then  created  the  birds,  the  fishes, 
and  the  great  sea  monsters,  who  (the  birds)  fill  the  world  with 
song.  On  the  sixth  they  said:  "  The  Lord  reign  eth.  He  is 
clothed  with  excellency;  the  Lord  is  clothed.  He  had  girded 
Himself  with  strength  :  (therefore)  also  the  world  is  firmly  estab- 
lished, that  it  cannot  be  moved."  Because  then  He  finished  all 
His  work  He  became  exalted  and  placed  Himself  on  the  loftiest 
point  of  the  world.  On  the  seventh  they  said  :  "  A  psalm  or  song 
for  the  Sabbath  day  "  [ibid.  xcii.  i].  A  day  of  entire  rest,  when 
there  is  no  eating  nor  no  drinking  and  no  traf^ck,  but  the 
upright  sit  with  their  crowns  on  their  heads  and  are  nourished 
from  the  glory  of  the  Shekhina,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxiv.  11]: 
"  And  they  saw  (the  glory  of)  God,  and  did  eat  and  drink,"  just 
like  the  angels.] 

Why  was  Adam  created  on  the  last  hour  of  the  sixth  day  ? 
In  order  that  he  might  immediately  partake  of  the  sabbatical 
meal. 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said:  Adam  can  be  likened  to  an 
Israelite  who  married  a  proselyte  woman,  and  he  constantly 
sought  to  impress  upon  her  mind  the  following  regulations:  "  My 
daughter,  eat  not  bread  when  thy  hands  are  unclean,  eat  not  of 
fruits  which  were  not  tithed,  do  not  violate  the  Sabbath,  do  not 
get  into  the  habit  of  making  vows,  and  walk  not  with  another 
man.  If  thou  shouldst  violate  any  of  the  commands,  thou  wilt 
die."  Another  one,  who  wished  to  mislead  her,  did  those  very 
things  before  her  that  she  had  been  told  were  sinful:  he  ate 


TRACT   ABOTH.  9 

bread  when  his  hands  were  unclean,  partook  of  fruits  which  were 
not  tithed,  violated  the  Sabbath,  etc.,  and  thereby  caused  this 
proselyte  to  think  that  everything  that  her  husband  told  her  was 
entirely  false,  so  she  violated  all  his  commandments. 

R.  Simeon  b.  Johai  said:  The  case  of  Adam  can  be  likened 
to  one  who,  when  intending  to  leave  his  house,  took  a  barrel  and 
put  therein  a  certain  number  of  dates  and  nuts;  then  he  caught 
a  scorpion  and  put  it  in  the  top  of  the  barrel,  he  covered  it  well 
and  put  it  in  a  corner,  and  said  to  his  wife:  "  My  daughter, 
everything  I  have  in  this  house  is  placed  at  thy  disposal,  except 
this  barrel,  which  thou  must  touch  not  at  all."  As  soon  as  her 
husband  went  away,  she,  however,  opened  the  barrel,  put  her 
hand  into  it,  and  the  scorpion  bit  her.  She  took  sick  and  went 
to  her  bed.  When  her  husband  returned,  he  asked  her  what  the 
trouble  was.  She  said:  "  I  put  my  hand  in  the  barrel,  and  the 
scorpion  bit  me,  and  I  am  dying."  He  said  to  her:  "  Did  I  not 
tell  thee  before  that  thou  must  not  touch  the  barrel?"  He 
became  angry,  and  drove  her  out  of  his  house.  The  same  hap- 
pened to  Adam  when  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  told  him: 
"  Of  every  tree  in  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat;  but  of  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it ; 
for  on  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die  "  ; 
but  as  soon  as  he  did  eat  he  was  driven  out  of  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  and  this  is  what  the  passage  said  [Ps.  xlix.]  (see  above). 

On  the  same  day  on  which  he  was  formed,  on  the  very  same 
day  his  countenance  was  created;  on  the  very  same  day  he  was 
made  a  body,  and  his  members  were  joined  and  his  openings 
developed,  and  on  the  very  same  day  the  soul  was  put  unto 
him.  On  the  same  day  he  stood  upon  his  feet,  and  Eve  was 
mated  to  him.  On  the  same  day  he  pronounced  the  names  of 
all  the  creatures,  and  on  the  very  same  day  he  was  placed  in  the 
Garden  of  Eden  and  received  the  command  (not  to  eat,  etc.), 
and  on  the  very  same  day  he  violated  it  and  was  driven  out,  to 
comply  with  what  is  written  [Ps.  xlix.]  (see  above).  On  the 
same  day  they  went  to  bed  two,  and  descended  from  the  bed 
four.  R.  Jehudah  b.  Bathyra,  however,  says  that  they  de- 
scended six  (two  sons  and  two  daughters).  On  that  day  three 
sentences  were  pronounced  over  Adam,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  iii. 
17,  18]:  "  And  unto  Adam  he  said,  because  thou  hast  hearkened 
unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife,  etc.,  cursed  be  the  ground  for  thy 
sake,  in  pain  shalt  thou  eat  of  it,  etc.,  and  thorns  and  thistles 
shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee,  and  thou  shalt  eat  the  herbs  of  the 


lo  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

field."  As  soon  as  Adam  the  First  heard  that  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  said:  "And  thou  shalt  eat  the  herbs  of  the 
field,"  he  trembled  in  his  whole  body.  He  said  before  Him: 
"  Lord  of  the  Universe,  shall  I  and  my  cattle  eat  out  of  the 
same  trough  ? "  Said  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He:  "As  thou 
hast  trembled,  therefore  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread''  [ibid.,  ibid.  19]. 

As  Adam  was  laid  under  three  sentences,  likewise  was  it  with 
Eve.  As  it  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  16]:  "  I  will  greatly  multiply 
thy  pain  and  (the  suffering  of)  thy  conception ;  in  pain  shalt  thou 
bring  forth  children."  The  first  few  days  of  menstruation  are 
painful.  So  also  are  the  first  few  moments  of  her  sexual  inter- 
course with  a  man.  Also  when  the  woman  becomes  pregnant, 
her  face  loses  its  beauty  and  becomes  yellow  the  first  three 
months. 

When  evening  drew  near,  and  Adam,  looking  toward  the 
west,  saw  that  it  was  becoming  darker  and  darker,  he  said: 
"  Woe  to  me  is  this,  because  I  have  sinned,  that  the  Lord 
darkens  the  world  upon  me!"  He  did  not  know  that  it  was 
the  course  of  nature.  In  the  morning,  when  he  saw  it  lighted 
up  and  the  sun  risen  in  the  east,  he  rejoiced  greatly.  He  built 
an  altar  and  sacrificed  on  it  as  a  burnt-offering  an  ox,  the  horns  of 
which  were  formed  before  his  hoofs.  (Rashi  explains  this  else- 
where as  follows:  All  the  creatures  of  the  first  days  of  creation 
were  created  in  their  full-grown  sizes,  and  as  the  head  was 
formed  first  the  horns  thereon  preceded  the  hoofs  in  point  of 
time.  This  means  to  say  that  Adam  sacrificed  an  ox  of  the  first 
creation.)  As  it  is  written  [Ps.  Ixix.  32]  :  "  And  this  will  please 
the  Lord  better  than  an  ox  or  bullock  having  horns  and  cloven 
hoofs." 

(There  is  a  tradition)  that  the  ox  of  Adam,  the  steer  of  Noah, 
the  ram  sacrificed  by  Abraham  in  place  of  his  son,  were  all  of 
the  first  creation,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xxii.  13]:  "  And  Abraham 
lifted  up  his  eyes  and  saw,  and  behold,  there  was  a  ram  Achar" 
(another  one,  which  signifies  that  it  was  one  differing  from  the 
usual  ones).  At  that  time  (of  the  sacrifice  of  the  ox,  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  became  merciful  to  him  and)  three  divisions 
of  angels  came  down  with  harps,  and  psalteries,  and  all  musical 
instruments,  and  they  sang  with  Adam,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xcii. 
1-3]  :  "  A  psalm  song  for  the  Sabbath  day.  It  is  a  good  thing  to 
give  thanks  to  the  Lord,  etc.  To  tell  in  the  morning  of  thy 
kindness,  and  of  thy  faithfulness  in  the  nights."     "  To  tell  in  the 


TRACT   ABOTH.  n 

morning  of  thy  kindness,"  this  means  the  world  to  come,  which 
is  likened  to  the  morning,  as  it  is  written  [Lam.  iii.  23]:  "  They 
are  new  every  morning,  great  is  thy  faithfulness  "  ;  and  [Ps.  xcii.] 
"And  of  thy  faithfulness  in  the  night  "  means  this  world,  which 
is  likened  to  night,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  xxi.  11]:  "  The  doom 
of  Dumah.  Unto  me  one  calleth  out  of  Se'ir,  Watchman, 
what  of  the  night  ?     Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ? " 

The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  said  then  :  "  If  I  will  not  pun- 
ish the  serpent,  that  would  be  as  if  I  Myself  were  destroying  the 
world,  because  it  would  be  said  that  the  one  that  I  set  up  as 
king  over  the  entire  world  has  disobeyed  My  command  and  ate 
of  the  forbidden  fruit  "  ;  therefore  immediately  He  turned  to  the 
serpent  and  cursed  him,  as  it  is  written  [Gen,  iii.  14] :  "  And  the 
Lord  God  said  unto  the  serpent,"  etc.  R.  Jose  said:  "  If  the 
serpent  had  not  been  cursed,  the  world  would  have  been  de- 
stroyed immediately  afterward." 

When  God  created  Adam,  He  formed  him  with  two  counte- 
nances, front  and  back,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxxxix.  5] :  "  Behind 
and  before  hast  thou  hedged  me  in,  and  thou  placest  upon  me 
thy  hand."  And  the  angels  came  down  to  serve  him,  and  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  took  him  under  His  wings,  as  it  is 
written:  "  And  thou  placest  upon  me  thy  hand." 

According  to  others,  from  this  passage  is  to  be  inferred  that 
Adam  and  the  Temple  were  both  created  with  both  hands.  This 
view  is  supported  by  the  following  passages  [Ps.  cxix.  73] :  "  Thy 
hands  have  made  me  and  established  me  "  ;  and  it  is  also  writ- 
ten about  the  Temple  [Ex.  xv.  17]:  "  The  sanctuary,  O  Lord, 
which  thy  hands  have  established." 


Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  What  is  the  safeguard  that  the  Torah  made  to  its  words  ? 
It  is  written  [Lev.  xviii.  19]:  "  And  a  woman  in  the  separation 
of  her  uncleanness  shalt  thou  not  approach."  One  might  say 
it  is  allowed  to  embrace  and  kiss  her,  and  converse  with  her, 
therefore  it  is  written:  "Shalt  thou  not  approach";  lest  one 
say  it  is  allowed  to  sleep  with  her  on  one  bed  when  they  are 
both  dressed,  therefore  it  is  written  [Lev.  xv.  33]:  "  And  of  her 
that  is  suffering  in  her  separation,"  that  means  during  all  the 

*  Chapter  II,  of  the  original. 


12  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

days  of  her  separation  she  shall  be  as  if  under  a  ban  ;  *  from  this 
it  may  be  said  that  a  woman  who  makes  herself  homely  during 
her  separation  does  it  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the  sages, 
and  one  that  adorns  herself  during  that  time  incurs  the  dissatis- 
faction of  the  sages. 

It  happened  that  a  man,  although  faithfully  studying  (the 
Bible),  learning  (the  Mishna),  and  serving  (in  the  colleges)  of 
the  sages,  died  in  the  prime  of  life.  His  wife  used  to  take  his 
phylacteries  f  and  go  around  and  visit  all  the  synagogues  and 
colleges,  weeping  and  crying:  "  My  masters,  in  the  Law  it  is 
written  [Deut.  xxx.  20]  :  '  For  he  is  thy  life  and  the  length  of 
thy  days  ' ;  now  there  is  my  husband,  who  read  and  learned  much 
and  served  the  sages,  why  did  he  die  in  the  prime  of  life  ?  "  And 
there  was  no  one  that  gave  her  a  satisfactory  answer.  Once  she 
met  Elijah  the  prophet,  of  blessed  memory,  and  he  said  to  her: 
"  My  daughter,  wherefore  criest  thou  ?"  and  she  made  to  him 
the  same  complaint.  He  then  said  to  her:  "  What  was  his  wont 
with  thee  in  the  first  days  of  thy  separation  ?"  She  answered: 
"  Rabbi,  he  did  not  even  touch  me  with  his  little  finger;  further- 
more, he  told  me,  '  Do  not  touch  anything,  that  thou  mayest  not 
bring  it  into  suspicion.'  "  "  And  what  was  his  habit  with  thee 
in  the  last  days  of  thy  separation?"  he  said  again.  She  an- 
swered: "  Rabbi,  I  used  to  eat  and  drink  with  him,  and  to  sleep 
with  him  fully  dressed  on  the  bed,  and  his  body  touched  mine, 
but  with  no  intention  of  anything  else."  Elijah  then  said: 
"  Blessed  be  the  Omnipotent  that  killed  him,  because  it  is  writ- 
ten [Lev.  xviii.  19]  :  *  Shalt  thou  not  approach.'  " 

It  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  6]:  "  None  of  you  shall  approach 
to  any  that  are  near  of  kin  to  him."  From  this  it  was  said  one 
must  not  stay  in  a  separate  room  with  any  woman  in  a  hostelry, 
though  she  be  his  sister  or  daughter,  because  of  public  opinion. 
For  the  same  reason  one  must  not  converse  with  a  woman  in  the 
market,  not  even  with  his  wife.  For  the  same  reason  a  man 
shall  not  walk  behind  a  woman,  even  though  she  be  his  wife. 
This  was  deduced  from  the  following  analogy  of  expression:  It 
is  written  in  the  passage  of  illegal  unions,  "  Ye  shall  not  ap- 

*  In  the  ancient  times,  and  even  now  in  some  places  of  the  Orient,  a  woman  in 
her  separation  must  be  separated  and  avoid  all  communication  with  anybody  during 
the  whole  time. 

f  We  have  explained  it  in  our  "  Philac.  Ritus,"  that  at  that  time  only  great  men 
•were  allowed  to  bear  phylacteries,  and  therefore  she  took  them  to  prove  that  her  hus- 
band was  one  of  them. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  13 

proach,"  and  here  is  also  written,  "  Thou  shalt  not  approach," 
from  which  it  is  to  be  inferred  that  one  shall  not  approach  such 
things  as  can  cause  him  to  sin  (or  cause  people  to  talk  about 
him). 

There  is  an  ancient  saying:  Keep  thyself  apart  from  the 
abominable,  and  from  things  which  are  equal  to  it;  and  the 
sages  explained  it  thus:  Keep  thyself  from  trivial  sin,  that  it 
may  not  lead  thee  to  a  grave  one.  Run  to  perform  a  slight 
meritorious  deed,  for  it  will  lead  thee  to  the  performance  of  a 
great  one. 

It  is  written  [Song  of  Songs,  vii.  3]:  "  Thy  body  is  like  a 
heap  of  wheat  fenced  about  with  lilies."  "  Thy  body  is  like  a 
heap  of  wheat"  refers  to  the  assembly  of  Israel,  and  "  fenced 
about  Vv'ith  lilies  "  refers  to  the  seventy  elders.  Another  expla- 
nation of  the  v/ords,  "  Thy  body  is  like  a  heap  of  wheat,"  is 
that  they  refer  to  the  lenient  religious  duties  which  seem  to  be 
of  no  consequence;  "  fenced  about  with  lilies,"  nevertheless 
when  the  Israelites  perform  them  they  bring  them  to  the  world 
to  come.  How  so  ?  When  one  is  with  his  wife  in  his  house  he 
can  do  with  her  what  he  pleases  even  during  the  separation,  as 
there  is  nobody  to  control  him  or  reprove  him ;  but  when  he 
refrains  from  having  intercourse  with  her  until  she  submerge 
herself,  he  is  doing  so  only  because  he  is  afraid  of  him  who  com- 
manded the  submerging  (in  the  legal  bath);  and  the  same  is  the 
case  with  the  first  dough,  the  first  wool  of  shearing  (no  control 
can  be  exercised).  Hence  such  duties,  which  are  as  light  as 
lilies,  bring  the  Israelites  who  perform  them  to  the  world  to 
come. 

Which  is  the  safeguard  that  Moses  made  to  his  words  ?  It 
is  written  [Ex.  xix.  10]:  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Go 
unto  the  people  and  sanctify  them  to-day  and  to-morrow."  As 
Moses  the  upright  regarded  it  inexpedient  to  speak  to  the  peo- 
ple in  the  manner  God  spake  to  him,  he  added  one  day  of  his 
own  volition,  and  said  to  them  [Ex.  xix.  15] :"  Prepare  your- 
selves for  three  days."*  Why  did  he  do  so?  Because  he 
thought  it  might  happen  that  one  could  have  seminal  intercourse 
with  his  wife  that  day,  and  so  they  will  receive  the  Torah  v/hen 
they  are  unclean;  "  therefore  I  v/ill  add  a  third  da}',  that  in  all 
the  three  days  they  shall  refrain  from  intercourse,  in  order  that 

*  Leeser  translates  "against"  the  third  day,  but  the  Talmud  translates  it  as  we 
give  it. 


14  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

they  may  be  clean  when  receiving  the  Torah  from  Mount 
Sinai." 

This  is  one  of  the  things  that  Moses  did  of  his  own  accord 
by  drawing  an  a  fortiori  conclusion  (as  will  be  explained  farther 
on),  and  his  act  was  afterward  sanctioned  by  the  Omnipotent. 
The  same  was  the  case  with  the  breaking  of  the  tables,  with  his 
leaving  the  Tabernacle,  and  with  his  separation  from  a  woman. 
How  so  ?  He  said:  "  Since  relative  to  the  Israelites  who  were  to 
be  sanctified  for  the  time  being  only,  for  the  purpose  of  receiv- 
ing the  ten  commandments  from  Mount  Sinai,  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  said  unto  me,  '  Go  unto  the  people  and  sanctify 
them  to-day  and  to-morrow,'  how  much  more  incumbent  is  it 
on  me  to  be  particular  about  the  cleanliness  of  my  person,  as  I 
must  be  ready  for  such  a  divine  call  every  day  and  every  hour, 
and  do  not  know  when  He  would  speak  to  me  by  day  or  by 
night."  And  this  was  exactly  in  accordance  with  the  will  of 
God.  R.  Jehudah  b.  Bathyra,  however,  said:  Moses  did  not 
leave  his  wife  before  he  was  told  to  do  so  by  the  Mighty  One, 
as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xii.  8]:  "  Mouth  to  mouth  do  I  speak 
with  him."  It  means,  mouth  to  mouth  have  I  told  him  to  sepa- 
rate himself  from  a  woman.  According  to  others,  it  is  from  the 
following  passage :  It  is  written  [Deut.  v.  27] :  ' '  Go  say  to  them, 
return  ye  unto  your  tents  "  ;  and  immediately  after  [ibid.,  ibid. 
V.  28]:  "  But  as  for  thee,  remain  thou  here  by  me."  There- 
fore he  returned  and  separated  himself.  This  was  exactly  the 
meaning  of  this  passage. 

The  a  fortiori  in  the  case  of  the  Tabernacle  was  thus  :  He 
said:  As  for  my  brother  Aaron,  who  is  anointed  with  the  oil  of 
anointment,  and  clothed  in  holy  garments  for  service,  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  regarding  him  said  [Lev.  xvi.  2]:  "  Speak 
unto  Aaron  thy  brother,  that  he  come  not  at  all  times  into  the 
holy  place."  Now  I  who  am  not  chosen  for  such  service,  as  I 
am  not  a  priest,  how  much  more  reason  is  there  for  me  to  leave 
the  Tabernacle  ?  He  did  so,  and  it  was  in  accordance  with  the 
will  of  the  Omnipotent. 

The  a  fortiori  in  the  case  of  the  tables  was  thus:  It  is  said 
when  Moses  ascended  on  high  to  receive  the  tables  [which  were 
written  and  preserved  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  as  it  is 
written  [Ex.  xxxii.  16]:  "And  the  tables  were  the  work  of 
God,  and  the  writing  was  the  writing  of  God,  engraved  upon 
the  tables,"  do  not  read  "  Charuth  "  (engraved),  but  Cheiruth 
(free),  for  every  one  who  is  studying  the  Law  is  a  free  man], 


TRACT   ABOTH.  15 

The  angels  conspired  against  Moses,  saying:  "  Lord  of  the  Uni- 
verse, what  is  the  mortal,  that  thou  rememberest  him?"  etc. 
[Ps.  viii.  5-9].  They  murmured  against  Moses  and  said:  What 
is  the  distinction  of  one  born  of  woman,  that  he  should  come  into 
the  council  on  high  ?  As  it  is  written  [Ps.  Ixviii.  19]:  "  Thou 
didst  ascend  on  high,  lead  away  captives,  receive  gifts."  He 
nevertheless  took  the  tables  and  descended  with  great  rejoicing. 
When  he  saw  the  contamination  with  which  they  had  stained 
themselves  in  worshipping  the  golden  calf,  he  said:  If  I  should 
give  them  the  tables,  I  impose  upon  them  a  responsibility  which 
might  result  in  capital  punishment  by  divine  power,  for  on  the 
tables  is  written  :  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me  " 
[Ex.  XX.  3].  He  started  to  return,  but  the  seventy  elders  saw 
him  and  ran  after  him,  and  grasped  the  tables  on  one  end,  the 
other  end  being  still  in  Moses'  hand,  and  he  overpowered  them 
all,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxxiv.  12]  :  "  And  in  respect  to  all  that 
mighty  hand,  and  in  all  the  great,  terrific  deeds  which  Moses  dis- 
played before  the  eyes  of  all  Israel."  He  looked  at  the  tables, 
and  saw  that  they  were  without  writing  upon  them.  He  then 
said:  How  shall  I  give  Israel  the  tables,  now  that  they  have  no 
value  ?  I  will  rather  break  them.  As  it  is  written  [Deut.  ix.  17] : 
"  And  I  took  hold  of  the  two  tables,  and  cast  them  out  of  my 
two  hands,  and  I  broke  them."  Said  R.  Jose  the  Galilean:  I 
will  explain  this  with  a  parable.  A  king  said  to  his  ambassa- 
dor: "  Go,  betroth  to  me  a  maiden  who  is  beautiful,  chaste, 
and  of  pleasing  manners."  The  ambassador  went  and  betrothed 
such  to  him.  Soon  he  found  that  she  acted  the  harlot.  The 
ambassador  was  in  a  predicament.  "  What  is  to  be  done  ?  If  I 
grive  her  the  marriage  contract  now,  I  may  subject  her  to  cap- 
ital punishment.  No,"  he  said,  "  I  will  tear  the  marriage  con- 
tract and  thereby  release  her  from  my  master  and  save  her." 
So  Moses  the  upright  said,  as  stated  above:  "  Rather  will  I  seize 
and  break  them  (the  tables)  and  save  the  Israelites  by  enabling 
them,  in  case  they  should  be  charged  with  idolatry,  to  say: 
'  Where  are  the  tables  ?     They  did  not  exist  at  all.'  " 

R.  Jehudah  b.  Bathyra  said:  Moses  would  not  have  broken 
the  tables  had  he  not  been  told  by  the  Mighty  One  to  do  so,  as 
it  is  written:  "  Mouth  to  mouth  do  I  speak  with  him";  that 
means,  I  told  him  to  break  the  tables.  According  to  others,  that 
thought  is  expressed  in  the  following  passage  [Deut.  ix.  16]: 
"  And  I  looked,  and  behold,  ye  had  sinned  against  the  Lord." 
He  would  not  say  "  I  looked,"  unless  he  saw  the  writing  of  the 


i6  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

tables  flying  away.  Anonymous  teachers  find  the  same  in  the 
following  passage  [Deut.  x.  5]  :  "  And  they  have  remained  there, 
as  the  Lord  hath  commanded  me."  He  would  not  have  said 
he  was  commanded  unless  he  had  been  told  to  break  them.  R. 
Elazar  b.  Azariah  infers  it  from  the  following  passage  [ibid, 
xxxiv.  12]:  "Which  Moses  displayed  before  the  eye  of  all 
Israel  "  ;  or,  "  All  that  Moses  did  was  by  the  command  of  the 
Lord,"  as  in  other  cases  Moses  acted  according  to  the  command 
of  God.  [R.  Aqiba  infers  it  from  the  following  passage:  "  And 
I  took  hold  of  the  two  tables."  What  can  a  man  take  hold  of  ? 
Only  what  he  can  destroy  {i.e.,  if  he  had  not  been  commanded 
to  do  so  he  could  not  have  been  able  to  destroy  a  thing  given  by 
God).  R.  Mcir  infers  it  from  the  following  passage:  "  Which 
thou  hast  broken  "  ;  it  really  means,  "  which  thou  didst  break 
rightfully  "  (see  Sabbath,  p.  165).] 

Also  Hezekiah,  King  of  Judah,  did  four  things  of  his  own  voli- 
tion which  were  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the  Lord  (see 
Pesachim,  p.  99  in  the  Mishna)  :  "  And  Hezekiah  prospered  in 
all  his  works  "  [H  Chron.  xxxii.  30]. 

What  is  the  safeguard  that  Job  made  to  his  words  ?  (Let  us 
see),  it  is  written  [Job  i.  i] :  "And  this  man  was  perfect  and  up- 
right, and  fearing  God,  and  eschewing  evil."  We  learn  there- 
from that  Job  kept  aloof  from  anything  that  led  to  sin,  from 
abomination  and  from  what  is  equal  to  it.  It  may  be  asked  [if  it 
is  so,  are  not  the  terms  "  perfect  "  and  "  upright  "  superfluous? 
(the  words  "  fearing  God  "  and  "  eschewing  evil,"  are  they  not 
sufficient)  ?  Infer  from  this  that  the  term  "  perfect  "  means  that 
he  was  born  circumcised.  Adam  the  first  man  also  came  forth 
circumcised,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  i.  27]:  "And  God  created 
man  in  his  image."  Also  Seth  was  so  born,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.  V.  3]:  "And  begat  a  son  in  his  likeness,  after  his  im- 
age." Noah,  too,  was  born  circumcised,  as  [ibid.  vi.  9]  the 
term  "  perfect  "  was  used  in  reference  to  Noah.  Shem  was  also 
so  born,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xiv.  18]:  "  And  Malkizedek,  king 
of  Salem."  *  Jacob  the  patriarch  was  also  so  born,  as  the  appel- 
lation "  perfect  "  was  also  applied  to  him  [ibid.  xxv.  27].  And 
Joseph  was  also  so  born,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  xxxvii.  2] : 
"  These  are  the  generations  of  Jacob:  Joseph."  It  ought  to  be 
the  generation   of  Jacob  :    Reuben  (as  he  was  the   first-born). 


*  There  is  a  tradition  in  tlie  Talmud  that  Malkizedek  is  identical  with  Shem. 
Salem  in  Hebrew  means  also  "  perfect."     Hence  the  analogy. 


TRACT    ABOTH.  17 

Why  is  it  Joseph  ?  Infer  from  this,  that  as  Jacob  was  born  cir- 
cumcised, so  also  was  Joseph.  And  Moses  was  born  circum- 
cised, as  it  is  written  [Ex.  ii.  2] :  "  And  when  she  saw  him,  that 
he  was  a  goodly  child."  What  good  could  his  mother  see  in 
him  ?  Was  he  then  more  beautiful  than  all  mankind  ?  Say, 
then,  he  was  born  circumcised.  Also  Balaam  the  wicked  was 
born  circumcised,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xxiv.  4] :  "  Thus  saith 
he  who  heareth  the  sayings  of  God."  (According  to  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  Talmudists,  one  who  is  not  circumcised  could  not 
hear  the  words  of  God,  and  as  Balaam  was  a  Gentile,  and  not 
circumcised  by  his  parents,  and  yet  he  heard  the  words  of  God, 
consequently  he  must  have  been  born  circumcised.)  Samuel 
was  also  born  so,  as  he  is  also  graced  with  the  appellation  good 
[I  Sam.  ii.  26J.  David  was  also  born  so,  traditionally,  as  (the 
support  from  Ps.  xvi.  i  does  not  imply  anything).  Also  Jere- 
miah was  born  circumcised,  as  it  is  written  [Jer.  i.  5]:  "Be- 
fore yet  I  had  formed  thee  in  thy  mother's  body  I  knew  thee, 
and  before  thou  wast  yet  come  forth  out  of  the  womb  I  sancti- 
Jied  thee."  Also  Zerubabel  was  born  so,  as  it  is  written  [Hag- 
gai,  ii.  23]:  "  On  that  day,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  zvill  I  take 
thee,  O  Zerubabel,  the  son  of  Shealtiel,  my  servant.  "'\  And  he 
(Job)  said  [Job  xxxi.  i] :  "A  covenant  have  I  made  with  my 
eyes:  how  then  should  I  fix  my  looks  on  a  virgin?"  Infer 
from  this  that  Job  was  so  scrupulous  with  himself  that  he  did 
not  even  look  at  a  virgin.  This  is  to  be  made  an  a  fortiori  zon- 
clusion — namely,  if  a  virgin  whom  he  could  marry  himself,  or 
to  his  son,  brother,  or  relatives  was  not  looked  upon  by  him 
because  he  was  so  rigorous  with  himself,  so  much  the  more  did 
he  refrain  from  looking  at  a  married  woman.  But  what  was  the 
reason  that  Job  was  so  rigorous  with  himself  as  regards  looking 
at  a  virgin  ?  Because  he  thought,  if  I  look  at  her  to-day  (and 
like  her)  and  to-morrow  she  marries  some  one  else,  I  v/ill  have 
looked  on  (and  liked)  a  married  woman. 

What  safeguard  have  the  prophets  made  to  their  words  ?  It 
is  written  [Is.  xlii.  13]:  "  The  Lord — as  a  mighty  one  will  he 
go  forth,  like  a  man  of  war  will  he  arouse  his  vengeance  :  he 
will  shout,  yea,  raise  the  war-cry."  Is  then  the  Lord  as  one 
mighty  one  ?  Is  He  not  stronger  than  all  the  mighty  ones  of 
the  world  put  together?  The  same  is  in  Amos  [iii.  8]:  "The 
lion  hath  roared,  who  will  not  fear  ?  the  Lord  Eternal  hath  spoken, 
who  will  not  prophesy  ?"  Is  then  the  voice  of  the  Lord  equal 
to  one  lion — is  it  not  as  of  all  the  lions  of  the  whole  world  put 
2 


i8  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

together  ?  The  same  meaning  is  conveyed  by  the  following  pas- 
sage [Ezek.  xliii.  2]:  "  Behold,  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel 
came  from  the  way  of  the  east ;  and  his  voice  was  like  a  noise  of 
many  waters;  and  the  earth  gave  light  from  his  glory."  (Now 
let  us  see.  We  know  from  a  tradition  that  the  words)  "  like  a 
noise  of  many  waters"  mean  the  angel  Gabriel;  and  by  "  the 
earth  gave  light, "etc.,  is  meant  the  appearance  of  the  Shekhina. 
Is  not  here  an  a  fortiori  conclusion  to  be  drawn  ?  Gabriel,  who 
is  only  one  of  the  thousands  of  millions  of  servants  who  minister 
before  the  Lord,  if  his  voice  reached  from  one  end  of  the  world 
to  the  other,  so  much  the  more  would  that  of  the  King  of  kings, 
the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  who  has  created  the  universe,  who 
has  created  the  higher  and  the  lower;  but  the  reason  why  the 
prophets  spake  so  is,  that  only  such  things  are  mentioned  that 
the  eye  of  a  human  being  can  see,  and  only  such  things  are  writ- 
ten that  the  ear  of  a  human  being  can  hear. 

What  was  the  safeguard  that  the  Hagiographers  made  to 
their  words  ?  It  is  written  [Prov.  v.  8]:  "  Remove  far  from  her 
thy  way  and  come  not  nigh  to  the  door  of  her  house."  "  Re- 
move far  from  her  thy  way  "  means  heresy  against  which  one  is 
warned.  Lest  one  say,  I  have  confidence  in  myself  and  I  am 
sure  that  it  would  not  influence  me,  therefore  it  is  written  [Ps. 
ii.  19]:  "  All  that  come  unto  her  return  not  again,  and  they  will 
not  reach  the  paths  of  life."  [It  is  written  [ibid.  ix.  2]:  "  She 
hath  killed  her  cattle,  she  hath  mingled  her  wine;  she  hath  also 
set  in  order  her  table."  This  refers  to  the  wicked.  When  one 
goes  av/ay  with  them,  they  give  him  food  and  drink,  they  clothe 
and  cover  him,  and  give  him  plenty  of  money;  but  as  soon  as 
he  becomes  one  of  them,  each  one  recognizes  what  belonged  to 
him  and  takes  it  away  from  him.  Concerning  them  it  is  written 
[ibid.  vii.  23]:  "  Till  an  arrow  cleaveth  through  his  liver,  as  a 
bird  hasteneth  into  the  snare,  and  knoweth  not  that  it  is  done 
to  take  his  life."] 

Another  explanation  to  the  above  passage  is  this:  "  Remove 
far  from  her  thy  way  "  refers  to  a  harlot.  When  one  is  warned 
not  to  go  in  this  market,  and  not  to  enter  into  that  alley,  as 
there  is  a  celebrated  and  much-spoken-of  harlot,  and  he  says, 
I  have  confidence  in  myself  even  though  I  go  there  I  would  not 
be  seduced  by  her;  nevertheless  they  must  say  to  him,  Go  not, 
for  after  all  thou  canst  be  seduced  by  her.  Did  not  our  sages 
say:  "A  man  shall  not  be  in  the  habit  of  passing  by  the  door  of 
a  harlot,   for  it  is  written  [ibid.  vii.   26] :    '  For   many  deadly 


TRACT   ABOTH.  19 

wounded  hath  she  caused  to  fall :  yea,  very  numerous  are  all 
those  slain  by  her  '  "  ? 

What  is  the  safeguard  that  the  sages  made  to  their  words  ? 
e.g.^  the  reading  of  Shema  (see  Berachoth),  and  so  also  have  the 
latter  sages  made  a  safeguard  to  their  words ;  and  they  have 
multiplied  disciples  who  did  the  same  thing.  As  to  this,  how- 
ever, the  schools  of  Shammai  and  Hillel  differ.  The  School  of 
Shammai  maintain  that  one  shall  teach  only  those  who  are 
wise,  modest,  rich,  and  come  from  a  good  family;  the  School  of 
Hillel,  however,  hold  that  one  may  teach  every  one,  as  there 
were  many  transgressors  in  Israel,  and  after  they  had  become 
upright,  pious,  and  righteous  men,  engaged  in  the  study  of  the 
Law,  they  had  the  good  fortune  that  from  them  descended  men 
of  uprightness,  piety,  and  righteousness. 


Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  R.  Aqiba  said:  "  Whoever  takes  a  coin  from  the  fund  in- 
tended for  charity  to  the  poor  when  he  is  not  in  need  of  it,  will 
not  die  before  he  will  really  be  in  need  of  assistance."  f  He 
used  to  say:  One  that  bandages  his  eyes  or  his  shoulders,  and 
says:  "  Give  charity  to  the  blind  or  to  the  leper,"  will  in  the 
end  speak  the  truth — that  is,  he  will  be  such.  He  also  said: 
One  that  throws  his  bread  on  the  ground,  or  scatters  his  money 
in  his  anger,  will  not  die  before  he  will  be  in  actual  need  of 
assistance.  He  said  again:  One  that  tears  his  garments  or 
breaks  his  vessels  in  his  wrath,  will  eventually  worship  idols,  for 
this  is  the  way  of  the  evil  thoughts  :  to-day  they  urge  him  to 
tear  his  garments,  and  to-morrow  they  will  advise  him  to  wor- 
ship idols.  And  again:  One  that  is  desirous  that  his  wife  shall 
die  in  order  to  inherit  her  property,  or  to  marr>'  her  sister,  or 
one  who  is  desirous  that  his  brother  shall  die  in  order  to  marry 
his  wife,  in  the  end  will  be  buried  by  them.  Regarding  such  it 
is  written  [Eccl.  x.  8]:  "  He  that  diggeth  a  pit  will  fall  into  it; 
and  him  who  breaketh  down  a  fence,  a  serpent  will  bite  him." 

(Plere  follows  a  repetition  of  a  Mishna  in  Baba  Kama,  which, 
according  to  our  method,  we  have  omitted.) 

*  Chapter  III.  of  the  orifjinal. 

f  In  a  Mishna  at  the  end  of  Tract  Peah  it  is  stated  the  reverse,  viz.:  That  one 
who  needs  charity  and  refuses  to  take  it  will  not  depart  from  this  world  until  he  will 
be  in  a  position  to  give  charity. 


20  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

R.  Dostai  b.  Janai  said :  Though  thou  hast  chosen  and  sown 
in  the  first  quarter,  sow  also  in  the  second  :  perhaps  a  hail  might 
destroy  the  first,  but  the  second  will  be  preserved  ;  for  thou 
knowest  not  which  will  succeed,  whether  this  or  that,  or  both 
may  be  preserved,  and  both  of  them  will  be  alike  good,  as  it  is 
written  [Eccl.  xi.  6] :  "  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the 
evening  let  not  thy  hand  rest."  And  even  though  thou  hast 
sown  in  the  first  and  second  quarters,  do  not  neglect  to  do  so 
also  in  the  third,  as  it  may  happen  that  a  blast  might  destroy 
the  first,  but  the  latter  will  be  preserved,  as  is  said  in  the  pas- 
sage just  mentioned. 

R.  Ishmael  b.  R.  Jose  said :  The  above  passage  refers  to 
study,  thus:  Study  the  Law  in  thy  old  age,  even  if  thou  hast 
studied  it  in  thy  youth.  Do  not  say:  "  I  do  not  want  to  study 
when  I  am  aged  "  ;  but  study  it  always,  because  thou  knowest  not 
which  will  succeed.  If  thou  hast  studied  the  Lav/  in  years  of 
plenty,  do  not  count  it  for  the  years  of  famine.  The  study  dur- 
ing times  of  ease  does  not  count  for  those  of  distress,  because 
one  thing  done  in  distress  is  better  than  a  hundred  in  ease,  as  it 
is  written  [ibid.]:  "  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the 
evening  let  not  thy  hand  rest."     R.  Aqiba  also  said  the  same. 

R.  Meir  said  :  When  thou  hast  studied  under  one  master,  say 
not:  "It  is  enough,"  but  go  and  study  under  another  ;  yet  do 
not  go  to  all  of  them,  but  only  to  those  who  were  near  to  the 
Law  from  the  start  (meaning  a  scholar  from  a  scholarly  house), 
as  it  is  written  [Ps.  v.  15]:  "  Drink  v/ater  out  of  thy  own  cis- 
tern, and  running  water  out  of  thy  own  well." 

It  is  a  duty  to  study  under  three  masters,  such  as  R.  Eliezer, 
R.  Joshua,  and  R.  Aqiba,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  viii.  34]  :  "  Happy 
is  the  man  that  hearkeneth  unto  me,  waiting  day  by  day  at  my 
gates,  waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors."*  Because  thou  canst 
not  know  which  master's  teaching  will  remain  with  thee,  or  per- 
haps all  are  good,  as  may  be  learned  from  the  above-mentioned 
passage. 

R.  Joshua  said:  "The  same  passage  applies  also  to  this: 
Marry  a  woman  in  thy  youth;  marry  one  also  (if  need  be)  when 
you  are  old ;  beget  children  in  thy  youth,  and  do  so  also  in  thy 
old  age.  Do  not  say,  I  will  not  marry  again  as  I  have  children, 
but  marry  and  beget  more  children,  as  you  do  not  know  which 
of  them  will  be  the  good." 

*  This  is  inferred  from  the  superfluous  letter  1  and  n  ;  as  Tl^T,  "  gates,"  is  also 
plural,  not  less  than  two,  from  the  added  1  and  n  tkey  deduce  one  more. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  21 

He  used  also  to  say:  "  If  thou  hast  given  a  coin  to  a  poor 
man  in  the  morning,  and  another  one  begs  of  you  in  the  even- 
ing, give  him  also,  as  thou  knovvest  not  whether  both  will  be 
benefited  by  thy  donation,  and  whether  both  are  alike  deserv- 
ing, as  it  is  written:  "  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed."  * 

It  happened  that  a  pious  man  who  used  to  spend  much  in 
charity,  while  aboard  a  ship  encountered  a  great  storm,  and  the 
ship  foundered.  R.  Aqiba  saw  him  go  down,  and  came  to  tes- 
tify before  the  court  in  order  that  his  wife  might  marry  again. 
Before  the  court  adjourned,  the  man  came  and  stood  before 
them.  Said  R.  Aqiba  to  him:  "Did  you  not  sink  into  the 
sea?"  He  answered:  "Yea,"  "And  who  brought  thee  out 
of  the  sea?"  R.  Aqiba  asked  again.  He  answered:  "The 
charities  that  I  have  given  have  saved  me  from  the  sea," 
"Whence  dost  thou  know  this?"  He  said:  "When  I  went 
down  in  the  deep,  I  heard  the  noise  of  the  waves.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  they  said  to  each  other:  This  man  has  done  charity  all 
his  days  (and  they  actually  threw  me  on  land)."  R.  Aqiba  then 
arose  and  said :  Blessed  be  the  Lord  the  God  of  Israel,  Vvflio 
has  chosen  the  words  of  the  Torah  and  the  words  of  the  sages, 
for  they  are  preserved  everlastingly.  As  it  is  written  [Eccl.  xi. 
i]  :  "  Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  face  of  the  waters  ;  for  after  many 
days  wilt  thou  find  it  again."  It  is  Vv'ritten  again  [Prov.  x.  2]: 
And  charity  will  deliver  from  death." 

It  happened  that  to  Benjamin  the  upright,  who  was  the 
treasurer  of  charities,  there  came  a  woman  and  asked  for  food. 
He  said  :  "  I  assure  you  that  the  treasury  is  empty."  She  said : 
"  Rabbi,  if  thou  vv^ilt  not  help  me,  thou  wilt  kill  a  widow  and  her 
seven  children."  He  then  fed  them  at  his  own  expense.  Years 
afterward  Benjamin  the  upright  fell  ill,  and  he  suffered  very 
much  on  his  sick-bed.  Said  the  angels  before  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He:  "  Lord  of  the  Universe,  Thou  hast  said:  He 
w4io  preserves  one  soul  of  Israel  is  regarded  (by  Scripture)  as  if 
he  preserved  an  entire  world.  Benjamin  the  upright,  who  has 
preserved  a  widow  and  seven  children,  (is  entitled)  so  much  more 
to  such  consideration,  yet  he  is  pining  on  the  couch  of  a  painful 
disease."  They  implored  the  mercy  of  God  in  his  behalf,  and 
His  decree  was  annulled,  and  twenty-*  ,vo  years  were  added  to 
his  life. 


*  We  omitted  the  narrative  of  a  pious  man  who  was  compelled  to  stay  over  night 
in  a  cemetery,  as  its  proper  place  is  in  Berachoth. 


22  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

MiSHNA  B.  Simeon  the  Just  was  one  of  the  remnants 
of  the  Great  Assembly.  His  motto  was:  "The  order 
of  the  world  rests  upon  three  things  :  on  law,  on  wor- 
ship, and  on  bestowal  of  favors." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Natha7i. 

*"  Upon  the  TorahJ"  How  so  ?  It  is  written  [Hosea,  vi.  6] : 
"  For  piety  I  desired,  and  not  sacrifice;  and  the  knowledge  of 
God  more  than  burnt-offerings."  Infer  from  this  that  the  burnt- 
offering  is  more  favored  than  ordinary  sacrifices,  because  it  is  all 
burnt  up  in  the  fire,  as  it  is  written  [Lev.  i.  9]:  "  And  the  priest 
shall  burn  the  whole  on  the  altar,"  and  elsewhere  [I  Sam.  vii. 
9]:  "  And  Samuel  took  the  sucking  lamb  and  offered  it  for  an 
entire  burnt-offering  unto  the  Lord."  Yet  the  study  of  the 
Law  is  more  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  than  burnt- 
offerings,  because  he  who  is  studying  the  Torah  knows  the  will 
of  the  Lord,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  ii.  5]  :  "  Then  wilt  thou  under- 
stand the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  the  knowledge  of  God  wilt  thou 
find."  From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  when  a  sage  lectures 
to  the  public  it  is  accounted  to  him  in  Scripture  as  if  sacrificing 
fat  and  blood  upon  the  altar. 

Two  scholars  studying  together,  when  a  bride  or  a  bier  carry- 
ing a  corpse  passes  before  them,  must  observe  the  following  rule : 
If  the  bride  has  all  she  needs  to  feel  that  she  is  such,  and  if  the 
dead  has  all  that  is  needed  for  decent  burial,  the  students  shall 
not  interrupt  themselves;  but  if  such  be  not  the  case,  let  them 
suspend  their  study  and  go  to  add  to  the  joy  of  the  bride  and  to 
do  honor  to  the  dead.  [It  happened  that  a  wedding  procession 
passed  by  while  R.  Tarphon  was  studying  with  his  disciples,  and 
he  directed  that  the  bride  be  brought  up  to  his  house,  and  he 
told  his  mother  and  his  wife  to  wash,  anoint,  and  ornament  her, 
and  to  dance  for  her  until  she  should  reach  her  groom.  Accord- 
ing to  Elias  Wilna.] 

It  also  happened  that,  while  R.  Judah  b.  Ilai  was  teaching 
his  disciples,  a  wedding  procession,  which  had  not  sufificient  fol- 
lowers, passed  by,  and  he  with  his  disciples  took  part  in  the  pro- 
cession until  the  bride  passed. 

It  happened  again  that  while  the  same  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing his  disciples,  a  bridal  party  passed  by.     He  asked :  "What  is 

*  Chapter  IV.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  23 

that  ?  "  and  they  answered  :  "  A  bridal  party."  He  then  said  : 
"  My  sons,  arise,  evince  your  interest  in  the  bride."  So  we  find 
that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  bestowed  His  favor  upon  a 
bride,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  ii.  22]  :  "  And  the  Lord  God  forjned 
the  rib. "  And  in  the  cities  by  the  sea  a  bride  is  called  Beniatha, 
"  the  formed  one."  If  He  has  done  so,  how  much  more  reason 
is  there  for  us  so  to  do  ?  Infer  from  this  that  the  Lord  formed 
Eve  and  ornamented  her  like  a  bride,  and  brought  her  to  Adam, 
as  it  is  written  [ibid.]  :  "  And  brought  her  unto  Adam."  Only 
once  has  the  Lord  become  a  mediator  to  Adam ;  henceforward 
man  must  procure  a  mediator  for  himself,  as  it  is  written  [ibid., 
ibid.  23]:  "  Bone  of  my  bones,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh."  Once 
only  was  Eve  formed  out  of  Adam ;  henceforward  man  betroths 
the  daughter  of  his  fellowman. 

''  On  service  "  How  so  ?  As  long  as  the  service  of  the  Tem- 
ple existed,  the  world  was  blessed  for  the  sake  of  its  inhabitants, 
and  the  rain  came  down  in  due  season,  as  it  is  written  [Deut. 
xi.  13,  14]:  "I  love  the  Lord  your  God,  and  to  serve  him 
.  .  .  that  I  will  send  rain  for  your  land  in  due  season." 
But  when  the  service  of  the  Temple  ceased,  the  inhabitants  were 
not  blessed,  and  the  rain  did  not  come  down  in  due  time,  as  it 
is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  16] :  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves  that  your 
heart  be  not  deceived  .  .  .  and  he  will  shut  up  the  heavens 
that  there  be  no  rain."  Also  Haggai  said  [ii.  15,  16]:  "  Direct, 
I  pray  you,  your  heart  from  this  day  and  upward,  before  the 
time  that  a  stone  was  laid  upon  a  stone  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord :  since  those  days  were,  when  one  came  to  aheap  of  sheaves 
of  twenty  (in  number),  and  there  were  but  ten ;  when  he  came 
to  the  wine-press  to  draw  off  fifty  measures  out  of  the  vat,  and 
there  were  but  twenty."  [Why  was  it  not  said  of  the  wine-press 
also  "twenty,  and  there  were  but  ten,"  the  same  as  of  the 
wheat  ?  Because  the  wine-press  is  a  better  sign  than  the  wheat. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  when  the  vine  is  spoiled  it  is  a  bad  sign 
for  the  current  year,] 

Said  the  Israelites  before  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He: 
"Lord  of  the  Universe,  why  hast  Thou  done  thus  to  us?" 
The  Holy  Spirit  answered:  "Ye  looked  for  much,  and,  lo,  it 
came  to  be  little,  .  .  .  because  of  my  house  that  lieth  in 
ruins,  while  ye  ran  every  man  unto  his  own  house  "  [Haggai,  i. 
9].  "  If  ye  will  employ  yourselves  with  the  service  of  the  Tem- 
ple, I  will  bless  ye  as  heretofore,"  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  ii.  18, 
19]:  "  Direct,  I  pray,  your  heart     .     .     .     from  the  four  and 


24  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

twentieth  day  of  the  ninth  month,  even  from  the  day  that  the 
foundation  of  the  Lord's  temple  was  laid.  ...  Is  the  seed 
yet  in  the  barn  ?  Yea,  as  yet  the  wine,  and  the  fig-tree,  and 
the  pomegranate,  and  the  olive-tree  have  not  brought  forth; 
(but)  from  this  day  will  I  bless  you."  Lifer  from  this  that  there 
is  no  service  which  is  favored  by  the  Lord  more  than  the  Tem- 
ple service. 

"  Upon  bestowal  of  favors.''  How  so  ?  It  is  written  [Hosea, 
vi.  6] :  "  For  kindness  I  desired,  and  not  sacrifice."  Moreover, 
at  the  beginning  the  world  was  created  with  kindness,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  Ixxxix.  3] :  "  To  eternity  will  kindness  be  built  up 
{e.g.,  the  world  is  built  up  with  kindness),  the  heavens — yea,  in 
these  wilt  thou  establish  thy  faithfulness." 

R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  once  went  out  of  Jerusalem,  followed 
by  R.  Joshua,  and  seeing  the  destroyed  Temple,  R.  Joshua 
said:  "  Woe  to  us,  that  this  is  destroyed,  the  only  place  where 
the  sins  of  the  Israelites  were  atoned!  "  R.  Johanan  corrected 
him,  saying:  "  My  son,  do  not  grieve  over  it.  We  have  other 
means  of  atonement  as  effective — namely,  bestowal  of  favors,  as 
it  is  written  [Hosea,  vi.  6]:  '  For  kindness  I  desired,  and  not 
sacrifice.'  As  we  find  with  Daniel,  who  was  occupied  in  doing 
good.  And  what  good  did  he  do  ?  He  certainly  did  not  sacri- 
fice burnt-offerings  and  voluntary  offerings,  as  he  was  in  Babylon, 
and  with  regard  to  the  place  of  sacrifice,  it  is  written  [Deut.  xii. 
13,  14]:  'Take  heed  to  thyself  that  thou  offer  not  thy  burnt- 
offerings  in  every  place  which  thou  mayest  see ;  but  in  the  place 
which  the  Lord  will  choose  in  one  of  thy  tribes,  there  shalt  thou 
ofTer  thy  burnt-offerings.'  What  good,  then,  did  he  do  ?  He 
rejoiced  with  people  in  their  joy,  he  wept  with  them  in  their  sor- 
row, he  helped  and  cheered  poor  brides,  he  honored  the  dead  by 
following  them  to  the  last  resting-place,  he  gave  material  aid  to 
the  needy,  and  prayed  three  times  every  day,  and  his  prayers 
were  received  with  favor,  as  it  is  written  [Dan.  vi.  11]:  'And 
three  times  every  day  he  kneeled  upon  his  knees,  and  prayed, 
and  offered  thanks  before  his  God,'  etc." 

When  Vespasian  came  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  he  said  to  the 
inhabitants:  "  Fools,  wherefore  do  ye  seek  to  destroy  this  city 
and  to  burn  the  Temple?  All  I  want  of  you  is  to  send  me  a 
bow  or  an  arrow — i.e.,  to  acknowledge  my  dominion  over  you. 
I  will  leave  you  in  peace."  They,  however,  said:  "  Just  as  we 
killed  the  two  who  came  before  thee,  so  will  it  be  with  thee." 
When  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  heard  this,  he  invited  the  leaders  of 


TRACT   ABOTH.  25 

Jerusalem  to  a  conference,  and  said  unto  them:  "  My  sons,  why 
should  you  occasion  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  insist  upon 
it,  as  it  were,  that  the  Temple  be  burnt  ?     All  the  enemy  wants 
is  that  you  send  to  him  a  bow  or  an  arrow,  and  is  willing  on  that 
condition  to  depart."    But  they  answered  him  in  the  manner  they 
answered  Vespasian.     The  latter  had  spies  within  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem,  and  whatever  they  heard  they  wrote  upon  an  arrow 
and  threw  it  outside  the  wall.     In  this  manner  Vespasian  learned 
that  R.   Johanan  b.   Zakkai  was  friendly  to  Cresar  (and  so  he 
really  was,  and  confessed  it  frankly  to  the  leaders  of  Jerusalem). 
When  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  saw  that  his  efforts  during  several 
days  in  succession  to  win  the  leaders  for  peace  proved  futile,  for 
the  leaders  did  not  listen  to  him,  he  sent  for  his  disciples,  R. 
Eliezer  and  R.  Joshua,  and  said :  "  My  sons,  try  to  take  me  out 
of  here.     Make  me  a  coffin,  and  I  will  sleep  in  it."     They  did 
so,  and  R.  Eliezer  held  the  coffin  by  one  end,  and  R.  Joshua 
held  it  by  the  other,  and  thus  carried  him  at  sunset  to  the  gates 
of  Jerusalem.     When  the  gate-keepers  asked  them  whom  they 
had  there,  they  answered:  "  A  corpse  ;  and  you  know  that  a 
corpse  cannot  remain  in  Jerusalem   over  night."     They  were 
allowed  to  go,  and  they  carried  him  till  they  came  to  Vespasian. 
There  they  opened  the  coffin,  and  he  arose  and  introduced  him- 
self to  Vespasian,  v/ho  said:  "  Since  thou  art  the  Rabban  Jo- 
hanan-b.  Zakkai,  I  give  thee  the  privilege  to  ask  a  favor  of  me." 
He  answered:  "  I  request  nothing  but  that  the  city  of  Jamnia 
shall  be  free  to  me  to  instruct  there  my  disciples.     I  will  build 
there  a  prayer-house,  and  will  perform  all  the  commandments 
of  the  Lord."      Hereupon  Vespasian  said:  "  It  is  well.     Thou 
mayest  go  thither,  and  undisturbed  carry  out  the  object  of  thy 
desire."     R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  then  asked  permission  to  say 
something  to  Vespasian.     This  having  been  granted,  he  said: 
"  I  can  assure  you  that  you  will  become  a  king."     "  How  dost 
thou  know  it  ? "     He  answered:  "  We  have  a  tradition  that  the 
Temple  will  not  be  delivered  to  a  common  man  (in  the  name  of 
the  king),  but  to  the  king  himself."     As  it  is  written  [Is.  x.  34] : 
"  And  he  will  cut  down  the  thickets  of  the  forest  with  iron,  and 
the  Lebanon  sh.all  fall  by  (means  of)  a  mighty  one."  "     It  was 
said  that  scarcely  had  a  few  days  elapsed  when  a  messenger  came 
from  the  city  of  Rom.e  with  the  tidings  that  CcXsar  was  dead, 
and  the  resolution  was  adopted  that  Vespasian  be  his  successor. 
*  Elsewhere  the  Talmud  explains  that  Lebanon  means  the  Temple,  and  "mighty 
one  "  a  king. 


26  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

At  the  time  when  Jerusalem  was  taken,  R.  Johanan  b.  Zak- 
kai,  with  a  trembling  heart,  was  sitting  and  watching  as  Eli  did, 
as  it  is  written  [I  Sam.  iv.  13]:  "  Lo,  Eli  was  sitting  upon  a 
chair  by  the  wayside,  watching;  for  his  heart  was  anxious  for 
the  ark  of  God."  When  he  heard  that  Jerusalem  was  destroyed 
and  the  Temple  burnt,  he  and  his  disciples  tore  their  garments, 
wept,  cried,  lamented,  and  said :  ' '  Open  thy  doors,  O  Lebanon  ! ' ' 
[Zech.  xi.  i] — that  is,  the  Temple;  "  and  the  fire  shall  eat  on  thy 
cedars  " — that  is,  the  priests  of  the  Temple,  who  took  the  keys 
and  threw  them  up  high  and  said,  before  the  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He:  "  Lord  of  the  Universe,  here  are  the  keys  which  thou 
hast  intrusted  us  with,  as  we  were  no  faithful  treasurers  and  we 
are  no  longer  worthy  to  do  the  work  of  the  King  and  to  eat  at 
his  table." 

Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  the  twelve  tribes  all  wept, 
cried,  lamented,  and  said  [ibid.  2,  3]:  "  Wail,  fir-tree,  for  fallen 
is  the  cedar;  those  that  were  mighty  are  despoiled,"  etc.  "  Wail, 
fir-tree,  for  fallen  is  the  cedar  ' ' — that  is,  the  Temple ; ' '  those  that 
were  mighty  are  despoiled,"  applies  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob 
and  his  twelve  sons.  "  Wail,  O  ye  oaks  of  Bashan" — that  is, 
Moses,  Aaron,  and  Miriam;  "  for  the  impervious  forest  is  come 
down  " — that  is,  the  Holy  of  Holies;  "  the  noise  of  the  wailing 
of  the  shepherds,  for  wasted  is  their  glory" — that  is,  David  and 
Solomon  his  son;  "  the  noise  of  the  roaring  of  young  lions,  for 
wasted  is  the  pride  of  the  Jordan  " — that  is,  Elijah  and  Elisha. 

In  three  things  has  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  made  man- 
kind differ  one  from  the  other:  in  voice,  behavior,  and  features. 
"In  voice":  for  what  purpose?  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  has  varied  the  voices  of  mankind  one  from  the  other,  to 
prevent  the  generations  from  adultery;  because  if  it  would  not 
be  so,  when  a  man  would  leave  his  house,  some  one  else  might 
come  in  (in  the  night  time)  and  do  violence  to  his  wife;  but 
as  the  voices  are  different,  she  could  recognize  that  of  her 
husband. 

"  In  behavior  "  :  for  what  purpose  ?  The  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  has  varied  the  behavior  of  mankind  one  from  another, 
to  prevent  jealousy;  if  not  so,  mankind  would  be  jealous  of  each 
other;  therefore  the  behavior  of  one  is  different  from  that  of 
another.  "  In  features":  for  what  purpose?  The  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  has  varied  the  features  of  mankind  that  the 
women  might  recognize  their  husbands,  and  the  men  their  wives, 
otherwise  all  would  be  mixed  up. 


TRACT  ABOTH.  27 

MiSHNA  C.  Antigonus  of  Socho,  who  received  it  from 
Simeon  the  Just,  was  in  the  habit  of  saying  :  "  Be  not  like 
slaves  who  serve  their  master  for  the  sake  of  the  compen- 
sation ;  be  like  such  servants  as  labor  for  their  master 
without  reward  ;  and  let  the  fear  of  Heaven  be  upon  you." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

* ' '  The  fear  of  God  shall  be  upon  you,  that  your  reward  may 
be  double  in  the  world  to  come.''  Antigonus  from  Socho  had  two 
disciples,  who  were  studying  his  words.  They  communicated 
them  to  their  disciples,  and  they  in  turn  to  theirs,  who  sought 
the  reason  which  prompted  the  sage  to  make  such  an  utterance. 
"  Wherefore,"  they  asked,  "  have  our  ancestors  said  such  a 
thing  ?  Is  it  possible  that  a  laborer  will  work  all  day,  and  not 
expect  to  be  rewarded  in  the  evening?"  What  if  they  had 
known  that  there  is  a  hereafter,  and  that  there  will  be  a  resur- 
rection ?  They  would  in  that  case  not  have  expressed  themselves 
in  that  manner.  The  result  was,  that  these  disciples  deviated 
from  the  path  of  the  Torah,  and  formed  two  new  schools  with 
exclusively  worldly  tendencies,  that  of  the  Sadducees  and  that 
of  the  Baitusees  :  Sadducees — because  the  name  of  the  founder 
of  their  school  was  Zadok;  and  Baitusees — because  the  name  of 
the  founder  of  their  school  was  Baitus.  They  surrounded  them- 
selves with  pomp  and  the  brilliancy  of  shining  metals,  gold  and 
silver,  not  so  much  for  the  delight  and  pleasure  which  they  de- 
rived from  those  things  as  to  spite  the  Pharisees,  who  deprived 
themselves  of  enjoyment  here,  in  order  to  inherit  the  world  to 
come,  which  in  their  opinion  was  a  mere  delusion. 

MisHNA  D.  Jose  b.  Joezer  of  Zereda  and  Jose  b.  Jo- 
hanan  of  Jerusalem  received  from  them.  Jose  b.  Joezer 
used  to  say  :  "  Let  thy  house  be  the  meeting  place  of  the 
wise  ;  sit  gladly  at  their  feet,  and  drink  in  their  words 
with  avidity." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  NatJian. 

\ ' '  Thy  house  shall  be  the  meeting-place  for  the  wise. ' '  What 
does  this  mean  ?      That   the   house    should  be  for  the  use    of 

*  Chapter  V.  of  the  original.  \  Chapter  VI.  of  the  original. 


28  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

scholars,  their  disciples  and  their  disciples,  in  the  sense  that 
one  man  says  to  the  other:  "  I  shall  wait  for  you  at  that  place." 
Another  explanation  of  that  phrase  is  this:  If  a  scholar  comes 
to  thee  for  the  purpose  of  being  instructed  by  thee,  and  thou 
art  able  to  comply  with  his  wish,  do  so;  if  thou  art  not  able  to 
teach  him,  dismiss  him  at  once.  Neither  shall  he  sit  before 
thee  on  the  bed,  chair,  or  bench,  but  on  the  floor  ;  and  every 
word  that  thou  utterest  he  shall  receive  with  awe,  terror,  fear, 
and  trembling. 

"  Sit  gladly  at  their  feet.''  It  means  that  when  a  renowned 
scholar  comes  to  the  city  you  shall  not  say:  "  I  need  him  not," 
but  go  to  him ;  and  do  not  sit  before  him  on  the  bed,  chair,  or 
bench,  but  on  the  floor;  and  every  word  that  comes  from  his 
lips,  receive  with  awe,  terror,  fear,  and  trembling,  for  so  our 
ancestors  received  the  Torah  from  Mount  Sinai.  According  to 
another  explanation  the  words:  "  Sit  gladly  at  their  feet,"  are 
referred  to  Rabbi  Eliezer,  and  the  words:  "  Drink  their  words 
as  a  thirsty  man  drinks  water,"  are  referred  to  Rabbi  Aqiba. 

For  how  did  R.  Aqiba  begin  his  wonderful  career  ?  (Was  it 
not  in  the  manner  hinted  in  the  above  words  ?)  It  has  been  said 
that  when  he  was  forty  years  old  he  had  not  learned  yet  any- 
thing. (At  that  age,  however,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  applying 
himself  to  study.)  It  once  happened  that,  standing  at  a  well,  he 
asked  :  "  "Who  has  made  that  hollow  in  the  stone  ?  "  The  peo- 
ple whom  he  asked  answered:  "  The  water  which  continuously, 
day  after  day,  falls  upon  it."  They  also  said  (by  way  of  re- 
proach): "O  Aqiba,  it  is  strange  that  thou  knowest  not  the 
passage  in  Scripture  which  reads:  '  Water  weareth  out  stones 
[Job,  xiv.  19].  Aqiba  then  drew  an  a  fortiori  conclusion.  He 
said  :  "  If  the  soft  has  so  much  power  over  the  hard  as  to  bore 
it  (water  over  stone),  how  much  more  power  will  the  Torah,  the 
words  of  which  are  as  hard  as  iron,  have  over  my  heart,  which  is 
flesh  and  blood  ?  "  He  at  once  turned  to  the  study  of  the  Law. 
He  and  his  son  *  went  to  a  school  where  children  were  instructed, 
and  addressed  one  of  the  teachers:  "  Master,  teach  me  Torah." 
Aqiba  and  his  son  took  hold  of  the  slate,  and  the  teacher  wrote 
upon  it  the  alphabet,  and  he  quickly  learned  it ;  and  then  wrote 
it  in  the  reversed  order,  and  learned  as  fast;  then  he  learned  the 
Book  of  Leviticus,  and  proceeded  from  one  book  to  the  other, 

*  According  to  this  legend,  R.  Aqiba  had  a  son  before  he  married  the  daughter 
of  Calba  Shebua,  and  thus  can  be  explained  the  question  of  Tossaphat  in  Sabbath, 
old  edition  io6(5,  beginning  with  the  paragraph,  "  R.  Joshua  b,  Karcha." 


TRACT   ABOTH.  29 

until  he  finished  the  study  of  the  Bible,  He  then  sat  down  at 
the  feet  of  R,  Eliezer  and  R.  Joshua,  and  said:  "  Masters,  I  beg 
of  you  to  open  to  me  the  underlying  principal  Mishnayoth."  As 
soon  as  they  recited  one  Halakha  to  him,  he  went  away;  and, 
contemplating  what  they  had  told  him,  a  new  realm  of  thought 
was  open  to  him.  He  saw  that  there  must  be  a  reason  why  this 
thing  was  written  here;  why  this  thing  was  written  there,  and 
why  this  thing  has  been  said  so  and  not  otherwise,  and  why  it 
has  been  said  at  all.  He  went  back  to  his  masters  questioning, 
and  made  them  rise  and  deliberate. 

Rabbi  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said  :  I  shall  illustrate  this  point  with 
the  following  parable :  A  stone-cutter  who  was  doing  his  work 
in  the  mountains  was  once  seen  standing  upon  a  rocky  height, 
knocking  off  small  pieces  thereof.  "What  art  thou  doing?" 
people  asked  him.  His  answer  was:  "  I  am  trying  to  uproot 
this  mountain  and  throw  it  into  the  Jordan."  They  laughed  at 
him.  He,  however,  continued  his  work;  knocked  off  piece  after 
piece,  and  when  he  had  reduced  the  mountain  to  a  big  rock,  he 
planted  himself  against  it,  and  pushed  and  pushed  until  he  had 
uprooted  the  rock,  and  then  threw  it  into  the  Jordan,  saying: 
"  This  is  not  thy  place,  that  one  is,"  So  has  R,  Aqiba  done 
too,  with  R,  Eliezer  and  R.  Joshua  (he  compelled  them  to  im- 
prove and  to  rectify  their  method). 

Said  R.  Tarphon  to  him :  Aqiba,  to  thee  applies  the  follow- 
ing passage  [Job,  xxviii,  11]:  "  The  various  droppings  of  water 
he  uniteth  into  streams,  and  what  is  hidden  he  bringeth  forth  to 
light."  Things  which  were  hidden  from  mankind,  R.  Aqiba 
brought  forth  to  light. 

Every  day  during  the  entire  time  of  his  learning  he  used  to 
cut  a  bundle  of  straw,  half  of  which  he  would  sell  for  his  needs 
and  the  other  half  he  used  for  light.  His  neighbors  murmured, 
saying:  "  Aqiba,  thou  greatly  dost  annoy  us  with  the  smoke; 
rather  sell  it  to  us,  and  buy  oil  with  the  money  and  study  by  its 
light."  He  answered  them  :  "  The  straw  supplies  me  with  many 
things:  first,  it  gives  me  light  for  studying;  secondly,  I  warm 
myself  by  its  flame;  and,  thirdly,  I  make  my  bed  on  it  when 
I  go  to  sleep," 

In  the  world  to  come,  R,  Aqiba  will  be  a  menace  to  the  poor 
who  have  neglected  study,*     When  they  will  be  questioned  why 

*  See  Section  Moed,  Vol,  VI.,  Tract  Vomah,  p.  49,  that  it  is  Ilillel  who  will  be  a 
menace  to  the  poor. 


30  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

they  had  not  studied  the  Law,  and  they  shall  answer  because 
they  were  poor  and  had  to  work  for  a  livelihood,  then  R.  Aqiba 
will  be  held  up  to  them  as  one  who  was  also  poor  and  wearied, 
and  yet  did  study;  and  if  they  should  say  because  of  their  little 
children,  again  R.  Aqiba  will  be  pointed  to,  who  had  many  sons 
and  daughters,  and  yet  supported  them  and  his  wife  Rachel. 
At  the  age  of  forty  Rabbi  Aqiba  began  his  studies,  and  at  the 
end  of  thirteen  years  he  lectured  in  public.  It  was  said  that  he 
did  not  leave  this  world  until  he  had  tables  of  gold  and  silver, 
and  also  golden  step-ladders  to  ascend  to  his  bed.  His  wife 
went  out  with  an  ornament  of  gold  which  represented  "  Jerusa- 
lem "  on  her  head;  and  when  his  disciples  said  to  him:  "  Rabbi, 
thou  hast  put  us  to  shame  by  the  profuse  jewelry  thy  wife  is 
wearing,"  he  answered:  "She  has  undergone  much  suffering, 
great  troubles  and  privations,  for  the  sake  of  my  study." 

Not  less  astonishing  is  the  beginning  of  the  literary  career  of 
Rabbi  Eliezer.  He  was  twenty-two  years  old  when,  for  the  first 
time,  he  felt  a  desire  for  study;  and  when  he  intimated  to  his 
father  that  his  intention  was  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  R.  Johanan  b. 
Zakkai,  his  father  Hyrcanus  told  him  to  plough  a  full  Maanah 
(a  piece  of  land)  without  eating  anything.  R.  Eliezer  got  up 
early  in  the  morning  and  did  the  will  of  his  father,  but  then  left 
him.  It  is  said  that  that  day  was  Friday,  and  that  he  went  in 
the  evening  to  his  father-in-law  to  eat.  Others  say  that  he  did 
not  eat  at  all,  that  he  fasted  from  the  sixth  hour  of  the  eve  of 
Sabbath  to  the  sixth  hour  from  the  expiration  of  Sabbath.  On 
the  road  he  saw  something  which  looked  to  him  like  food — it  is 
said  that  it  was  cow-dung — he  picked  it  up  and  put  it  to  his 
mouth.  He  continued  his  journey,  and  finally  came  to  the  place 
where  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  had  his  residence  and  his  school. 
R.  Eliezer  remained  over  night  at  an  hostelry  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. In  the  morning  he  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  great  sage,  and 
whose  attention  he  attracted  by  the  offensive  odor  that  came 
from  his  mouth.  R.  Johanan,  attributing  the  bad  smell  to  an 
empty  stomach,  said  to  him:  "  Hast  thou  eaten  anything  to- 
day ?  "  R.  Eliezer  made  no  answer.  Again  the  master  put  the 
same  question  to  him,  and  again  he  was  silent.  His  host  was 
sent  for,  of  whom  the  sage  inquired  whether  Rabbi  Eliezer  par- 
took of  any  food  at  his  place.  "  No,  he  did  not,"  the  host  said. 
"  I  did  not  offer  him  any  food,  thinking  that  he  might  eat  with 
the  Rabbi."  "  And  I,"  the  Rabbi  said,  "  did  not  offer  him 
any  food,  assuming  that  he  had  eaten  at  your  place.     But  while 


TRACT   ABOTH.  31 

we  are  conversing  Eliezer  is  starving."  (Food  was  given  to 
Eliezer,  and  then)  Rabbi  Johanan  blessed  Eliezer,  and  said  unto 
him:  "  As  thy  offensive  odor  is  the  result  of  privation  for  the 
sake  of  study,  may  thy  name  shine  forth  with  the  glory  of 
scholarship." 

Hyrcanus  was  angry  at  his  son  for  the  course  he  had  taken, 
and  made  up  his  mind  to  disgrace  and  disinherit  him.  But  it 
came  to  the  ears  of  R.  Johanan  what  Hyrcanus  resolved  upon 
to  do.  It  was  the  day  when  R.  Johanan  was  lecturing  to  the 
great  men  in  Israel  that  Hyrcanus  meant  to  punish  his  disobe- 
dient son.  And  the  Rabbi  appointed  watchmen,  and  advised 
them:  "  Should  Hyrcanus  come,  do  not  allow  him  to  enter  the 
auditorium."  They  tried  to  carry  out  his  instruction.  But 
Hyrcanus  managed  to  push  himself  through  and  to  reach  the 
seats  of  Ben  Zizith  Ha  Kesseth,  Nakdimon  b.  Gurion,  and  Calba 
Shebua,  where  he  sat  down  with  trembling.  It  is  said  that  on 
that  occasion  R.  Johanan  threw  glances  of  affection  at  Eliezer, 
and  requested  him  to  open  an  argument.  Modestly  did  R. 
Eliezer  attempt  to  decline  the  honor,  saying  that  he  did  not 
know  how  to  begin.  But  the  master  and  his  disciples  prevailed, 
and  Eliezer  rose  and  discussed  things  in  an  astounding  manner, 
and  every  subject  he  touched  upon  and  elucidated  pleased  Rabbi 
Johanan  to  such  an  extent  that  he  got  up  and  kissed  him  on  the 
forehead.  But  Rabbi  Eliezer  remarked:  "  Master,  everything 
I  said  I  have  learned  from  thee."  Before  adjournment  Hyr- 
canus, Eliezer's  father,  got  up  and  said:  "  Masters,  I  had  come 
here  with  the  intention  to  disgrace  my  son  Eliezer  by  disinherit- 
ing him ;  but  now,  however  (after  I  have  seen  this),  I  say  that 
all  my  properties  shall  be  given  to  him,  and  his  brother  shall  get 
none  of  them." 

(It  is  mentioned  that  Hyrcanus  took  his  scat  by  Zizith  Ha 
Kesseth,  etc.,  and  is  explained  why  he  was  so  called;  but  as  it  is 
not  completed  here,  the  full  explanation  is  given  in  Tract  Gittin.) 

Concerning  Nakdimon  b.  Gurion,  it  was  said  that  the  bed- 
ding of  his  daughter  was  of  the  value  of  twelve  thousand  golden 
dinars  from  the  city  of  Tyre,  and  a  golden  dinar  of  Tyre  she 
used  to  spend  for  spicing  the  cookery  for  every  week.  She  was 
a  childless  widow,  and  was  waiting  for  her  brother-in-law  to 
marry  her. 

And  why  was  he  named  Nakdimon  ?  Because  the  sun  hast- 
ened for  his  sake.  (See  Vol.  VIII.  of  Section  Moed,  Tract 
Taanith,  pp.  51,  52.) 


32  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Why  was  he  called  Calba  Shebua  ?  Because  whoever  entered 
his  house  hungry  as  a  dog,  left  satiated.*  When  Vespasian 
came  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  the  zealous  fanatics  were  going  to 
burn  all  his  wealth.  Said  he  to  them:  "Wherefore  are  ye 
destroying  this  city,  and  are  going  to  burn  my  wealth  ?  Wait 
until  I  find  out  what  I  have  in  my  house."  He  found  that  he 
had  food  for  twenty-two  years,  of  which  at  least  one  meal  a 
day  could  be  had  by  each  inhabitant  of  Jerusalem.  He  at  once 
gave  orders  to  thresh,  to  sift  and  to  grind,  to  knead  and  to 
bake,  and  prepared  food  for  twenty-two  years  for  every  one  in 
Jerusalem,  but  they  paid  no  attention  to  him.  What  did  the 
Jerusalemites  do  ?  They  brought  the  wagons,  sawed  them,  and 
smeared  them  with  clay.  They  also  did  more  than  this :  they 
boiled  straw  and  ate  it,  and  every  Israelite  who  took  part  in  the 
war  was  placed  on  the  city  walls.  Said  one:  If  any  one  give 
me  five  dates,  I  will  go  down  and  bring  back  five  heads  of  the 
enemy.  He  received  five  dates,  and  he  went  down  and  took 
five  heads  of  Vespasian's  men.  When  Vespasian  observed  their 
excrement,  and  found  there  was  nothing  cereal  in  it,  he  said 
to  his  army:  "  If  those  who  eat  nothing  but  straw  are  still 
slaughtering  so  many  of  you,  if  they  would  eat  and  drink  as  you 
do,  how  many  more  of  you  Vv'ould  they  have  killed  ? " 


MiSHNA  E.  Jose  b.  Johanan  of  Jerusalem  was  in  the 
habit  of  saying  :  "  Let  thy  house  be  so  wide  open  that  the 
poor  may  enter  it  as  were  they  inmates  there  ;  and  do  not 
hold  too  much  discourse  v^^Ith  woman."  The  sages  have 
cautioned  against  talking  too  much  with  one's  own  wife. 
An  inference  can  then  be  made  with  regard  to  talking  with 
the  wife  of  a  neighbor.  Hence  the  wise  man  said  :  "  The 
man  who  does  talk  overmuch  with  woman  causes  evil  unto 
himself,  makes  himself  insusceptive  of  the  words  of  the 
Thora,  and  in  the  end  will  be  an  heir  to  Gehenna."     . 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

t"  Thy  house  should  be  wide  open.''  This  means  that  one's 
house  should  be  wide  open  south,  east,  west,  and  north,  as  was 

*  Calba,  means  "  dog  "  ;  Shebua,  "  satiated." 
f  Chapter  VII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  33 

the  house  of  Job,  which  had  four  entrances  made,  so  that  the 
poor  should  not  have  the  trouble  of  walking  around  the  house 
looking  for  the  entrance,  but  should  find  it  whichever  way  they 
came  without  any  difficulty. 

"  As  were  they  inmates  there  "  [literally:  "  The  poor  shall  be 
of  thy  household"].  It  is  not  meant  that  the  people  of  thy 
house  shall  be  poor,  but  that  the  poor  shall  speak  of  what  they 
ate  and  what  they  drank  in  thy  house  as  they  used  to  tell  what 
they  ate  and  drank  in  the  house  of  Job.  And  when  they  met 
one  another  on  the  road,  and  asked,  ".Whence  do  you  come  ?" 
the  answer  was:  "  From  the  house  of  Job."  "  Whereto  are 
you  going?"  "  To  the  house  of  Job."  Job's  house  was  in  a 
measure  the  house  of  the  poor. 

When  the  great  afiflictions  came  upon  Job,  he  prayed  before 
the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He:  "  Lord  of  the  Universe,  have  I 
not  fed  the  hungry  and  have  I  not  given  drink  to  the  thirsty  ?" 
as  it  is  v/ritten  [Job,  xxxi.  17]:  "  Or  if  ever  I  ate  my  bread  alone 
and  the  fatherless  did  not  eat  thereof."  "  And  have  I  not 
clothed  the  naked  ?"  as  it  is  v/ritten  [ibid.,  ibid.  20]:  "  And  if 
he  have  not  been  warmed  with  the  fleece  of  my  sheep."  (Never- 
theless I  am  so  punished.)  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  an- 
swered him:  Job,  as  yet  thou  hast  not  reached  one-half  of  the 
performances  of  Abraham.  Thou  sittest  and  waitest  in  thy 
house,  and  wayfarers  enter.  The  one  who  is  used  to  wheat- 
bread  gets  wheat-bread,  one  who  is  used  to  meat  gets  meat,  one 
who  is  used  to  drink  wine  gets  wine.  Not  so  Abraham.  He 
was  in  the  habit  of  going  out  of  his  house  to  hunt  up  wayfarers, 
whom  he  brought  under  his  roof,  and  entertained  them  in  a 
better  manner  than  they  had  been  accustomed  to.  He  offered 
wheat-bread,  meat,  and  wine  to  those  who  at  home  lived  on 
coarser  food.  Moreover,  he  built  booths  on  the  road  and  sup- 
plied them  with  refreshments,  and  those  who  entered  ate  and 
drank,  and  blessed  God  for  it.  He  was  favored  by  heaven,  and 
all  that  the  heart  desired  and  the  mouth  asked  for  was  to  be 
found  in  Abraham's  house,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xxi.  33]:  "  And 
Abraham  planted  an  7^^  (orchard)  in  Beer-Sheba. "  (The  let- 
ters of  the  word  7^^^  are  the  initial  letters  of  the  words  H /"T*?^' 
n^nC^'  T\^V)y  eating,  drinking,  and  accompanying.  Hence  the 
above  statement.) 

"  Teach  thy  household  humility.''  For  if  he  is  humble,  the 
members  of  his  household  are  also  humble,  and  the  consequence 
then  is  that  if  a  poor  man  comes  to  the  door  and  asks:  "  Is  your 
3 


34  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

father  at  home?"  they  answer:  "  Yes,  sir.  Please  walk  in." 
As  soon  as  he  enters  he  finds  a  set  table,  and  eats  and  drinks, 
and  blesses  heaven  for  the  enjoyment  afforded  him."  When, 
however,  one  is  not  humble,  and  the  members  of  his  household 
are  irascible,  the  outcome  then  is  that  if  a  poor  man  asks:  "  Is 
your  father  at  home  ?"  they  answer  harshly:  "  No,"  and  assail 
the  poor  man  with  angry  and  menacing  words. 

Others  take  the  words:  "  Teach  the  members  of  thy  house- 
hold humility,"  to  mean  this:  When  a  man  is  humble  and  the 
members  of  his  household  are  also  so,  the  result  is  that  when  he 
has  to  go  away  to  countries  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  he  says: 
"  I  thank  thee.  Lord  my  God,  that  my  wife  is  at  peace  with  her 
neighbors";  and  so  his  mind  is  tranquil  when  he  is  away  from 
home.  But  when  one  is  not  humble  and  the  members  of  his 
household  are  irascible,  it  follows  that  when  he  has  to  go  away 
to  countries  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea  he  has  to  pray:  "  May 
it  be  Thy  will,  Lord  my  God,  that  my  wife  shall  not  quarrel 
with  her  neighbors,  and  my  children  shall  not  quarrel  among 
themselves";  his  heart  is  always  trembling  and  his  mind  is 
restless  until  he  returns.  It  has  been  said:  "And  prolong 
not  converse  with  a  woman."  It  means  not  even  with  his 
own  wife,  much  less  with  the  wife  of  his  neighbor;  for  he  who 
holds  much  discourse  with  a  woman  causes  evil  to  himself, 
neglects  the  teaching  of  the  Law,  and  finally  he  is  doomed  to 
Gehenna. 

Another  explanation  of  the  above  saying  is,  that  when  one 
enters  the  house  of  learning  and  is  not  treated  with  the  honor 
due  to  him,  or  has  a  quarrel  with  his  neighbor,  he  should  not  in- 
form his  wife  of  what  took  place,  for  in  informing  her  he  dis- 
graces himself,  and  so  also  his  neighbor;  and  his  wife,  who  has 
heretofore  respected  him,  will  now  laugh  at  him.  When  his 
neighbor  hears  of  this,  he  says:  Woe  to  me,  words  which  were 
strictly  between  him  and  me,  he  revealed  to  his  wife.  The  con- 
sequence of  this  is  that  he  degrades  himself,  his  wife,  and  his 
neighbor. 

MiSHNA  F.  Joshua  b.  Pera'hia  and  Nithai  the  Ar- 
bellte  received  from  them.  The  former  used  to  say : 
"  Get  thee  a  wise  teacher,  acquire  a  comrade,  and  judge 
every  one  by  his  good  qualities  (i,e.y  from  his  favorable 
side);' 


TRACT   ABOTH.  35 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  Get  thee  a  wise  teacher.''  This  means  that  one  should 
procure  a  constant  teacher  of  whom  he  should  learn  the  Scrip- 
ture, IMishna,  Midrash,  Halakhoth,  and  Agadoth.  What  he 
has  left  unexplained  in  the  Scripture,  he  will  finally  explain  in 
the  Mishna,  what  is  unexplained  in  the  Mishna  will  be  explained 
in  the  Halakha,  and  what  is  unexplained  in  the  latter  will  be 
explained  in  the  Agadah.  The  consequence  of  all  this  is,  that 
one  acquires  all  he  desires  in  his  own  place  and  is  full  of  bless- 
ings. 

R.  Meir  used  to  say:  One  that  learns  the  Torah  of  one 
teacher,  may  be  compared  to  one  who  has  one  field,  part  of 
which  he  sowed  with  wheat  and  part  with  barley;  in  one  part 
he  planted  olives,  and  in  another  fruit-trees.  And  so  this  man 
acquires  wealth  and  blessings.  The  one,  however,  who  studies 
under  two  or  three  masters  is  to  be  compared  to  one  who  has 
many  fields:  in  one  he  sows  wheat,  in  another  barley;  in  one 
he  plants  olives,  and  in  the  other  fruit-trees.  And  so  this  man 
has  to  go  from  place  to  place  in  many  countries,  and  has  no 
enjoyment  of  his  wealth. 

It  is  said:  "  Win  a  friend,"  How  is  a  friend  won  ?  This  is 
to  teach  us  that  a  man  has  to  acquire  an  associate  with  whom 
Tie  should  eat,  drink,  read,  learn,  and  sleep ;  to  whom  he  should 
reveal  his  secrets,  the  secrets  of  the  Torah,  and  the  secrets  of 
every-day  life.  The  good  to  accrue  from  such  an  intimacy  is 
that,  if  one  of  them  should  blunder  in  the  recital  of  a  traditional 
law  or  in  the  division  of  chapters,  or  one  should  declare  anything 
which  is  unclean  as  clean,  and  vice  versa,  and  anything  which  is 
prohibited  as  permissible,  and  vice  versa,  his  associate  will  cor- 
rect him.  How  do  we  know  that,  if  the  associate  really  turns 
his  attention  to  the  mistake  and  sets  him  right,  both  will  be 
rewarded  greatly  for  their  good  endeavor  ?  We  learn  it  from 
the  biblical  passage  which  reads  [Eccl.  iv.  9]:  "  Two  are  better 
than  one";  that  is  to  say,  the  efforts  of  both  will  be  crowned 
with  success. 

When  three  are  sitting  and  studying  the  Law  together,  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  His  name,  accounts  it  to  them  as  if  they 
had  formed  a  league  for  His  praise,  as  it  is  written:  "  He  that 
buildeth  in  the  heavens  his  palace  and  established  on  earth  his 

*  Chapter  VIII.  of  the  original. 


36  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

tabernacle."  From  this  passage  thou  art  to  learn  that  if  three 
sit  and  study  together  it  is  accounted  to  them  as  if  they  con- 
stituted a  league  to  glorify  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He. 

When  two  persons  are  studying  the  Law  together  their 
reward  will  be  received  above,  as  it  is  written  [Mai.  iii.  i6]: 
"  Then  conversed  they  that  fear  the  Lord  one  with  the  other: 
and  the  Lord  listened  and  heard  it,"  etc.  But  what  is  meant 
by  the  words:  "  They  that  fear  the  Lord  "  ?  That  when  they 
have  made  up  their  mind  to  redeem  the  captives  and  release  the 
prisoners,  and  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  has  given  them  the 
opportunity  to  do  so,  they  embrace  it  at  once.  What  is  meant 
by  the  words:  "  And  for  those  who  think  after  his  name"  ?* 
They  whose  thought  of  doing  the  above-mentioned  great  things 
never  ripens  into  firm  resolution,  but  are  doubtful  in  the  Lord 
whether  they  will  succeed,  and  therefore  the  Lord  gives  them 
not  the  opportunity,  and  they  are  lost  before  doing  anything 
they  thought  of  doing.  Also  an  individual  who  engages  in  the 
study  of  the  Law,  his  reward  is  marked  in  Heaven,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Lam.  iii.  28] :  "  That  he  sit  in  solitude  because  he  hath  laid 
it  upon  him."  This  is  illustrated  by  the  following  anecdote:  A 
man  had  a  little  son  whom  he  left  alone  when  he  went  to  attend 
to  some  business.  The  boy,  instead  of  spending  his  time  in 
play,  took  a  scroll  and  spread  it  upon  his  knees,  and  thus  he  sat 
and  studied.  When  his  father  returned  and  found  his  son  in 
that  commendable  position,  he  joyfully  said:  "See  what  my 
little  son  has  done!  Left  alone,  he  took  to  study  of  his  own 
accord."  Even  so  the  Almighty  regards  an  individual  who  is 
absorbed  in  holy  thought.     His  reward  is  marked  in  Heaven. 

' '  Judge  every  one  from  his  favorable  side. ' '  It  happened  that 
a  girl  was  led  in  captivity,  and  two  pious  men  went  to  redeem 
her.  One  of  them  entered  into  a  house  of  harlots.  When  he 
came  out  again,  he  said  to  his  companion:  "  What  were  thy 
suspicions  of  me  (when  you  saw  me  enter  this  house)?"  He 
said:  "  I  thought  you  went  to  investigate  what  sum  her  ransom 
would  be."  He  answered:  "  I  assure  you  that  so  it  was.  As 
thou  hast  judged  me  from  my  favorable  side,  so  may  the  Lord 
judge  thee  in  the  same  manner." 

It  happened,  again,  that  a  maiden  was  led  into  captivity,  and 
two  pious  men  went  to  redeem  her.     One  of  them  was  suspected 

*  The  Talmud  translates  2f^n  "think  after"  (doubt),  but  Leeser  translates  it 
"  respect." 


TRACT   ABOTH.  37 

as  a  robber,  and  was  confined  in  prison,  and  his  wife  brought 
him  food  and  water  every  day.  One  day  he  asked  her:  "  Go  to 
my  companion  and  tell  him  that  I  am  in  prison  because  I  went 
to  redeem  the  maiden  in  question,  and  he  who  intended  to  take 
part  in  it  is  doing  nothing  and  pays  no  attention  to  her."  She 
rejoined:  "Thou  art  in  prison,  and  thou  think  about  fooHsh 
things?"  She  therefore  did  not  hsten  to  him.  He  again  re- 
quested her  to  go  and  to  notify  his  companion,  and  finally  she 
did  so.  What  did  this  man  do  ?  He  took  gold  and  silver,  and, 
accompanied  by  other  people,  came  and  released  them  both. 
When  he  was  released  he  said:  "  Let  this  maiden  sleep  with 
me*  in  bed  with  her  clothes  on."  In  the  morning  he  said: 
"  Let  me  go  and  dip  (in  a  legal  bath),  and  let  her  do  the  same." 
They  did  so.  He  then  said  to  them :  "  Of  what  did  ye  suspect 
me  when  I  went  to  dip  myself?"  They  answered:  "We 
thought  that  in  all  the  days  thou  wast  in  prison  thou  wert  hun- 
gry and  thirsty,  and  now,  when  thou  hast  seen  fresh  air,  thou 
hast  grown  hot  and  perhaps  thou  hast  become  Kcri.''  "And 
what  did  ye  suspect  when  she  was  dipped  ?  "  They  answered: 
"  We  thought  that  in  all  the  time  that  she  was  in  prison  among 
the  idolaters,  she  was  compelled  to  eat  and  drink  with  them,  and 
you  therefore  ordered  her  to  dip  for  the  purpose  of  purification." 
He  then  rejoined:  "  I  assure  you  such  was  the  case,  and  as  you 
have  judged  me  favorably,  so  may  the  Lord  judge  you." 

Not  only  were  the  upright  people  of  former  times  themselves 
very  strict  and  particular,  but  also  their  cattle  were  so.  There 
is  a  tradition  that  the  camels  of  Abraham  our  father  never 
entered  a  place  where  there  were  idols,  as  it  is  written  [Gen. 
xxiv.  31]:  "  While  I  have  cleaned  the  house,  and  room  for  the 
camels."  The  first  part  of  this  passage  relates  that  he  cleared 
the  house  from  Teraphim ;  but  what  is  meant  by  the  second 
part,  which  seems  to  be  superfluous  ?  Infer  from  this,  that  the 
camels  did  not  enter  the  abode  of  Laban  the  Aramite  until  all 
the  idols  were  cleared  away. 

It  happened  that  the  ass  of  R.  Hanina  b.  Dosa  was  stolen 
by  robbers.  They  tied  him  in  the  yard,  and  put  straw,  barley, 
and  water  before  him  ;  but  he  neither  ate  nor  drank.  They  said 
then:  "  If  we  leave  him  here,  he  will  die  and  infect  the  yard." 
Therefore  they  opened  the  gate  and  let  him  out,  and  he  went 
on  rejoicing  until  he  reached  the  place  of  R.  Hanina  b.  Dosa. 


*  He  did  so  in  order  to  prevent  others  from  doing  her  violence. 


38  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

When  the  latter's  son  heard  his  voice,  he  said  to  his  father:  "  Is 
not  the  voice  of  this  ass  similar  to  that  of  ours  ?"  He  rejoined: 
"  My  son,  hasten  to  open  the  gate  for  him,  or  else  he  will  die  of 
hunger."  He  did  so;  he  put  food  and  water  before  him,  and 
he  fed  and  drank.  Hence  the  above  saying:  "  In  former  times 
the  upright  men  were  pious,  so  were  their  cattle." 


MiSHNA  G.  NIthai  the  Arbelite  was  accustomed  to 
say  :  "  Keep  aloof  from  a  wicked  neighbor,  associate  not 
with  a  sinner,  and  never  consider  thyself  exempt  from 
God's  chastisement." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*''  Keep  aloof  from  a  wicked  neighbor.''  This  means  any 
bad  neighbor  in  the  house,  or  outside,  or  in  the  field.  "  In  the 
house,"  because  plagues  come  only  in  the  house  of  the  wicked, 
as  it  is  written  [Prov.  v.  22]:  "  His  own  iniquities  will  truly 
catch  the  wicked."  Infer  from  this,  that  the  plagues  come  only 
for  the  sins  of  the  wicked.  The  sins  of  the  wicked  have  caused 
the  demolition  of  the  wall  of  the  upright.  For  instance,  if 
leprosy  breaks  out  on  the  wall  of  the  house  of  the  wicked,  which 
is  also  the  wall  of  the  adjoining  house  of  the  upright,  the  entire 
wall  must  be  demolished.  Hence  the  wall  of  the  upright  is  de- 
molished for  the  sins  of  the  wicked.  That  is  what  R.  Ishmael, 
son  of  R.  Johanan  b.  Brokah,  said:  "  Woe  to  the  wicked,  and 
woe  to  his  neighbors." 

With  ten  trials  have  our  ancestors  tried  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  but  they  were  punished  only  for  one  of  them, 
which  is  calumny.  They  are  as  follows:  One  at  the  sea,  one  at 
the  beginning  of  the  manna  period  and  one  at  the  termination  of 
it,  one  at  the  first  and  last  appearance  of  quails,  and  at  Marah, 
at  Rephidim,  one  at  Horeb,  one  on  the  occasion  of  the  golden 
calf,  and  one  when  they  sent  spies.  That  of  the  spies  was  the 
hardest  of  all,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xiv.  22]:  "And  (they) 
have  tempted  me  these  ten  times,  and  have  not  hearkened  to 
my  voice,"  It  is  also  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  37]:  "  Even  those 
men  that  had  brought  up  the  evil  report  of  the  land  died  by  the 
plague  before  the  Lord."     From  this  is  drawn  an  a  fortiori  con- 

*  Chapter  IX.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  39 

elusion:  If  on  account  of  the  land,  which  has  no  mouth  to  talk 
with,  no  countenance  and  no  shame,  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  punished  the  spies  who  made  it  suffer,  how  much  the  more 
reason  is  there  for  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  to  avenge  the 
suffering  of  one  who  has  been  slandered  and  put  to  shame  by 
his  neighbor, 

R.  Simeon  said :  Slanderers  are  punished  with  plagues,  for 
we  find  that  Aaron  and  Miriam,  who  slandered  Moses,  were 
stricken  with  plagues,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xii.  i]:  "  And  Mi- 
riam and  Aaron  spoke  against  Moses."  Why  is  Miriam  men- 
tioned before  Aaron  ?  Infer  from  this,  that  Miriam  made  the 
beginning.  (How  so  ?)  What  she  had  heard  from  Zipporah 
[the  wife  of  Moses]  she  told  to  Aaron,  and  they  both  spoke 
against  this  upright  man ;  therefore  plagues  came  upon  them, 
as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xii.  9]  :  "  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was 
kindled  against  them,  and  he  went  away."  For  what  purpose  is 
it  written  :  "  and  he  went  away  "  ?  To  intimate  that  the  anger 
was  removed  from  Aaron,  and  placed  upon  Miriam,  because 
Aaron  did  not  go  into  such  details  of  the  matter  as  did  Miriam ; 
therefore  she  was  punished  more.  Miriam  said:  "  Although  I 
have  not  separated  myself  from  my  husband,  still  the  Lord  has 
spoken  to  me."  Aaron  said:  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  came  to 
me,  although  I  have  not  separated  myself  from  my  wife;  and 
also  to  our  ancestors  came  the  word  of  the  Lord,  although  they 
were  not  separated  from  their  wives;  but  he  (Moses)  who  is  too 
proud  in  his  mind  separated  himself  from  his  wife."  Further- 
more, they  judged  him  not  in  his  presence  but  in  his  absence, 
and  by  a  mere  supposition.  From  this  draw  an  a  fortiori  cor\c\\x- 
sion:  If  Miriam,  who  had  spoken  against  her  brother  (secretly), 
and  not  in  his  presence,  was  so  severely  punished,  how  much 
severer  must  be  the  punishment  of  a  common  person  who  speaks 
against  his  neighbor  in  his  presence  and  shames  him. 

[At  that  time  Aaron  said  to  Moses:  "  Moses,  my  brother, 
dost  thou  think  that  the  leprosy  is  placed  on  Miriam's  flesh 
only,  it  is  also  on  the  flesh  of  our  father  Amram."  This  is  to 
be  compared  to  one  who  takes  a  live  coal  in  his  hand,  and  even 
if  he  keeps  on  turning  it  from  one  place  to  another,  still  every 
place  it  touches  is  blistered  (and  as  Miriam  is  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  our  father,  the  leprosy  afflicts  also  his  flesh),  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.,  ibid.  12]:  "  Let  her  not  be  as  a  dead-born  child."  At 
the  same  time,  Aaron  began  to  appease  Moses,  saying:  "  Moses, 
my  brother,  have  we  ever  injured  anybody  in  the  world  ? "     He 


40  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

said  :  ' '  No,  you  have  not. "  "  Now  then, ' '  he  said,  "  if  we  have 
not  injured  anybody  else,  how  could  we  intend  to  do  an  injury 
to  our  own  brother  ?  But  what  can  we  do  ?  Shall,  through  this 
error,  our  brotherly  covenant  be  abolished,  and  our  own  sister 
be  lost  ? "  Then  Moses  made  a  circle,  entered  in  it,  and  prayed 
for  his  sister  and  said:  "  I  will  not  stir  from  here  till  she  be 
healed,"  as  it  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  13]:  "  O  God,  do  thou  heal 
her,  I  beseech  thee."  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  then  said 
to  Moses:  "  If  a  human  king  would  rebuke  her,  or  her  own 
father  would  do  this  to  her,  would  she  not  be  ashamed  seven 
days  ?  Now  if  I,  who  am  the  King  of  the  kings  of  kings,  rebuke 
her,  were  it  not  proper  that  she  should  be  ashamed  fourteen 
days  ?  Yet  for  thy  sake  I  will  forgive  her,"  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.,  ibid.  14] :  "  If  her  father  had  spit  in  her  face,"  etc. 

"  But  the  man  Moses  was  very  meek  "  [ibid.,  ibid.  3].  Shall 
we  assume  that  he  was  meek,  but  not  beautiful  and  praised  ?  Is 
it  not  written  [Ex.  xl.  19]:  "  And  he  spread  the  tent  over  the 
tabernacle"?  As  the  Tabernacle  w^as  ten  ells  in  height,  so  was 
Moses.  Shall  we  assume  that  he  was  as  meek  as  the  angels, 
since  it  is  written  [Numb.  xii.  3]:  "  More  so  than  any  man  "  ? 
Consider  that  man  is  said,  but  not  angels.  Perhaps  you  think 
that  he  would  have  been  considered  meek  in  the  former  gener- 
ation. Mark  that  it  is  written  [ibid.]:  "  Upon  the  face  of  the 
earth,"  implying  only  his  own  generation.  [But  what  is  meant 
by  "  he  was  meek  "  ?  .  .  .  There  are  three  kinds  of  leprous 
people:  moist,  dry,  and  polypous  (ulcer  in  the  nose),  yet  Moses 
was  humbler  than  the  afflicted.] 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said:  Leprosy  comes  also  for  the  sin  of 
slander,  as  we  find  in  the  case  of  Gehazi,  who  slandered  his 
master,  and  was  so  punished,  as  it  is  written  [II  Kings,  v.  27]  : 
"  May  then  the  leprosy  of  Naaman  cleave  unto  thee  .  .  . 
and  he  went  out  from  his  presence  a  leper,  (white)  as  snow." 

He  also  used  to  say  that  leprosy  came  upon  those  who  were 
haughty,  for  so  we  find  in  the  case  of  Uzziyahu,  as  it  is  written 
[II  Chron.  xxvi.  16-19]:  "  His  heart  was  lifted  up  to  his  de- 
struction, unfaithful  against  the  Lord  his  God,  and  went  into  the 
temple  of  the  Lord  to  burn  incense  upon  the  altar  of  incense. 
And  there  went  in  after  him  .  .  .  the  leprosy  even  broke 
out  on  his  forehead."  At  this  time  the  Temple  was  split  for 
a  distance  of  twelve  square  miles,  and  the  priests  hurried  out. 
"  And  he  also  made  haste  to  go  out,  because  the  Lord  had  afiflicted 
him.     And  he  was  a  leper  until  the  day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt 


TRACT   ABOTH.  41 

in  the  leper-house  as  such ;  for  he  was  excluded  from  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  and  Jotham  his  son  was  over  the  king's  house, 
(and)  judged  the  people  of  the  land  "  [ibid.  20,  21]. 

'And  thou  shalt  not  associate  with  a  sinner."  By  this  is 
meant,  that  one  should  not  attach  himself  to  a  bad  or  wicked 
man,  as  we  find  with  King  Jehoshaphat,  who  became  attached 
to  Ahab  and  went  up  with  him  to  Ramoth-Gilead,  and  there 
was  a  wrath  over  him  from  before  the  Lord.  The  same  was  the 
case  when  he  became  a  party  to  King  Ahazyahu,  with  whom  he 
made  ships  in  'Ezyon-geber,  which  the  Lord  broke  down,  as  it 
is  written  [II  Chron.  xx.  37]:  "  Because  thou  hast  connected 
thyself  with  Ahazyahu,  the  Lord  hath  broken  down  thy  work. 
And  the  ships  were  wrecked."  And  so  we  find  with  Amnon, 
who  associated  with  Jonadab,  and  received  from  him  wicked 
advice,  as  it  is  written  [II  Sam.  xiii.  3] :  "  But  Amnon  had  a 
friend  whose  name  was  Jonadab,  the  son  of  Shim'ah,  David's 
brother;  and  Jonadab  was  a  very  sensible  man — sensible  in 
wickedness,  as  it  is  written  [Jer.  iv.  22]:  Wise  are  they  to 
do  evil."  According  to  others,  it  is  meant  that  one  shall  not 
associate  with  the  wicked,  even  to  study  the  Torah. 

"  Do  not  consider  thyself  exempt  from  God's  chastisement." 
How  so  ?  One  should  always  fear  in  his  heart  every  day  lest 
affliction  come  on  him  to-day  or  to-morrow,  for  thus  it  is  writ- 
ten about  Job  [Job,  iii.  25]:  "What  I  greatly  dreaded,"  etc. 
Another  explanation  of  it  is:  If  one  sees  that  he  is  successful  in 
all  that  he  undertakes,  he  should  not  say:  "I  deserve  it  all;  the 
Lord  gives  me  food  and  drink  (as  interest),  and  the  principal 
remains  for  the  world  to  come";  but  he  shall  be  afraid  and 
think:  "  Perhaps  I  possess  but  one  desert  and  all  the  reward  for 
it  is  given  to  me  in  this  world,  so  that  I  have  no  claim  in  the 
world  to  come." 

MiSHNA  H.  Jehudah  b.  Tobai  and  Simeon  b.  Shata'h 
received  from  them.  The  former  was  wont  to  say  :  "  Make 
not  thyself  as  those  that  predispose  the  Judges,*  and  while 
the  litigants  stand  before  thee  let  them  be  in  thine  eyes 
as  guilty  ;  and  when  dismissed  from  before  thee  let  them 

*  The  Hebrew  term  is  Kehorkhe  Iladaionin.  This  translation  is  according  to 
Rashi.  Maimonides  explains  it  as  follows:  "Do  not  make  thyself  as  those  who 
instruct  the  litigants  what  to  plead."  The  explanation,  however,  of  the  ancient  sages 
■will  be  found  in  the  Gemara. 


42  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

be    in   thine  eyes  as  righteous,  because  that  they  have 
received  the  verdict  upon  them." 

Simeon  b.  Shata'h  used  to  say  :  "  Interrogate  the  wit- 
nesses very  closely,  and  be  careful  with  thy  words,  lest 
they  be  put  by  them  on  the  track  of  falsehood." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

* ' '  Make  thyself  not  as  those  that  predispose  the  judges. ' ' 
Learn  from  this,  that  when  entering  a  college  and  hearing  there 
a  saying  or  a  Halakha,  thou  shalt  not  be  hasty  in  answering, 
but  sit  and  think  over  the  reason  why  they  have  said  so  [and 
from  what  sources  they  derived  such  judgment ;  also  investigate 
about  which  Halakha  they  were  questioned,  and  also  consider 
the  time  when  it  happened].  When  two  litigants  come  before 
thee  for  judgment,  one  of  whom  is  poor  and  the  other  rich,  say 
not:  "  How  shall  I  declare  the  poor  innocent,  and  the  rich 
guilty,  or  vice  versa?  If  I  declare  one  of  them  guilty,  he  will 
become  my  enemy";  neither  say:  "How  shall  I  take  away 
one's  money  and  give  it  to  the  other?  "  for  the  Torah  said  [Deut. 
i.  17]:  "  Ye  shall  not  respect  persons  in  judgment." 

According  to  others,  for  what  purpose  is  the  following  pas- 
sage written:  "  The  small  as  well  as  the  great  shall  ye  hear" 
[ibid.]  ?  That  means  that  both  litigants  shall  receive  the  same 
treatment:  one  shall  not  be  allowed  to  sit  down  while  the  other 
is  standing,  or  one  shall  not  be  allowed  to  plead  at  length  while 
the  other  shall  be  directed  to  be  short  in  his  pleading. 

Said  R.  Jehudah:  "  I  have  heard  say  that  it  is  not  forbidden 
to  have  both  litigants  sit  down  (at  the  hearing),  but  what  is  for- 
bidden is,  to  allow  ^;^£'  to  sit  down  while  the  other  one  is  directed 
to  be  standing,"  etc.  From  the  above  passage  is  to  be  inferred 
that  the  treatment  must  be  alike,  even  if  one  of  the  litigants  is 
a  great  man.  The  case  of  a  common  man  shall  be  as  carefully 
considered  as  that  of  a  great  man.  The  lawsuit  of  a  very  small 
amount  shall  receive  the  attention  of  a  lawsuit  of  a  great  sum  of 
money. 

He  also  used  to  say:  Whoever  would  have  told  me  before 
I  had  entered  this  great  position,  "  Enter,"  I  would  have  chal- 
lenged him,  and  now  that  I  am  the  incumbent  hereof,  should 
anybody  dare  to  tell  me  to  abandon  it,  I  would  be  of  a  mind  to 

*  Chapter  X.  of  the  original. 


TRACT    ABOTH.  43 

throw  at  his  head  a  kettle  of  boiling  water,  for  there  is  a  diffi- 
culty in  the  ascent,  but  when  one  has  reached  the  top,  it  is  as 
hard  for  him  to  descend.  So  we  find  it  was  with  Saul,  that 
when  he  was  told  to  ascend  the  throne  he  hid  himself,  as  it  is 
written  [I  Sam.  x.  22]:  "And  the  Lord  said,  Behold,  he  hath 
hidden  himself  among  the  vessels";  but  when  told  to  give  up 
the  crown,  he  followed  David  even  to  take  his  life. 

Simeon  b.  Shata'h  said  :  Examine  the  witnesses  very  closely, 
but  while  tliou  art  so  doing,  be  careful  with  thy  words  on  ac- 
count of  the  deceivers.  Thy  words  may  give  them  the  clue  to 
lying. 


MiSHNA  /  Shemayah  and  Abtalion  received  from 
them.  The  former  was  in  the  habit  of  saying  :  "  Love 
work  and  hate  to  attain  superiority,  and  see  to  it  that 
your  name  be  not  known  to  the  government."  * 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

f  "  Love  work."  How  so  ?  That  is,  one  should  love  work; 
at  all  events,  he  ought  not  to  hate  it,  for  as  the  Torah  was  given 
in  a  cov'enant,  so  was  labor,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xx.  9,  10]: 
"  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work,  but  the  sev- 
enth day  is  the  Sabbath  in  honor  of  the  Lord  thy  God." 

Said  R.  Aqiba:  There  comes  a  time  when  one  does  his  work, 
and  thereby  escapes  death;  and  on  the  other  hand  there  comes 
a  time  when  one  does  no  work,  and  incurs  the  penalty  of  death 
by  heaven.  How  so  ?  One  who  is  idle  the  whole  week  and  has 
nothing  to  eat  on  the  eve  of  Sabbath,  but  having  in  his  posses- 
sion consecrated  money  misappropriates  it  for  his  own  use,  in- 
curs the  penalty  of  death  by  heaven;  but  if  he  was  making 
repairs  in  the  Temple,  and  is  paid  with  consecrated  money  and 
uses  it,  he  escapes  the  death  penalty. 

R.  Dostai  said:  "  How  can  it  happen  that  one  who  did  no 
work  all  the  six  days  shall  finally  be  compelled  to  labor  all  seven 
days  ?  Strange  as  this  appears,  yet  it  may  happen.  For  in- 
stance, a  man  who  did  no  work  during  the  week,  Friday  comes 

*  I.e.,  do  not  get  into  such  affairs  as  will  cause  the  government  to  investigate 
about  you.     The  commentators,  however,  interpret  this  otherwise.     See  Gemara. 
f  Chapter  XI.  of  the  original. 


44  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

and  he  has  nothing  to  eat.  He  starts  to  look  for  work,  but  is 
seized  by  conscription  officers,  who,  holding  him  by  an  iron 
chain,  compel  him  to  make  up  on  Sabbath  for  what  he  neglected 
during  the  six  days." 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said :  Even  Adam  the  First  tasted  noth- 
ing before  he  performed  some  work,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  ii.  15]: 
"  And  put  him  into  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  till  it  and  to  keep 
it  "  ;  and  afterward  he  was  commanded :  "  Of  every  tree  in  the 
garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat"  [ibid.,  ibid.  16]. 

R.  Tarphon  said :  Even  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  rested 
not  His  Shekhina  in  the  midst  of  Israel  before  some  work  was  per- 
formed by  them,  as  them  is  written  [Ex.  xxv.  8]  :  "  And  they  shall 
make  me  a  sanctuary;  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  them." 

Rabbi  Jehudah  b.  Bathyra  said:  What  shall  one  do  who  is 
without  work  ?  (Let  him  seek  it,  and  he  will  find  it.)  Let  him 
see  whether  there  is  no  demolition  in  his  yard  or  field,  and  em- 
ploy himself  in  that  manner,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xx.  9]  :  "  Six 
days  shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work."  Wherefore  is  it 
said,  "And  do  all  thy  work"?  R.  Tarphon  said:  One  is 
doomed  to  death  only  through  idleness.  R.  Jose  the  Galilean 
explained  (the  saying  of  R.  Tarphon)  thus;  If  one  through  idle- 
ness stood  upon  the  edge  of  a  roof,  castle,  or  building,  or  upon 
the  edge  of  a  river  and  fell  down  and  died,  his  death  was  caused 
through  idleness. 

R.  Nathan  said:  Moses  worked  at  the  Tabernacle  without 
consulting  the  princes  of  Israel,  who  right  along  thought  that  at 
any  moment  he  might  solicit  their  cooperation.  When  they 
heard  the  voice  which  went  throughout  the  camp  proclaiming 
that  the  material  prepared  was  sufficient  for  all  the  work,  they 
cried:  "  Woe  to  us,  that  we  have  not  participated  in  the  work 
of  the  holy  Tabernacle."  They,  therefore,  rose  and  added  a 
great  thing  of  their  own  accord,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxxv.  27] : 
"  And  the  princes  brought  the  onyx  stones." 

"  Do  not  care  for  superiority.''  It  means  that  one  must  not 
place  the  crown  merited  by  him  upon  his  own  head,  but  should 
let  others  do  it,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxvii.  2]  :  "  Let  another 
man  praise  thee,  and  not  thy  own  mouth ;  a  stranger,  and  not 
thy  own  lips," 

R.  Aqiba  said:  One  that  makes  himself  superior  to  the 
Law  is  compared  to  a  putrefied  carcass  which  lies  in  the  road, 
so  that  every  passer-by  puts  his  hand  to  his  nose  and  hastens 
away,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxx.  32]:  "  If  thou  hast  become 


TRACT   ABOTH.  45 

degraded  by  lifting  up  thyself,  or  if  thou  hast  devised  evil,  put 
thy  hand  to  thy  mouth."  Said  Ben  Azai  to  him:  The  sense  of 
this  passage  seems  to  be  thus :  One  who  degrades  himself  for  the 
sake  of  the  Law,  and  eats  decayed  dates,  and  dresses  in  worn-out 
clothes,  and  is  watching  at  the  door  of  the  sages,  the  passers-by 
call  him  an  idiot,  but  be  sure  that  in  the  end  it  will  be  found 
that  he  is  full  of  knowledge.  This  is  what  people  say:  One  who 
makes  himself  superior  to  the  Law  will  finally  be  put  down,  and 
one  who  lowers  himself  for  the  sake  of  the  Law  will  finally  be 
greatly  elevated. 

"  And  see  to  it  that  your  name  be  not  knoivti  to  the  govern- 
ment.'' One  should  not  have  the  ambition  to  be  prominent 
among  government  ofificials,  otherwise  they  will  become  jealous 
of  him,  slay  him,  and  confiscate  his  property.  Neither  shall  one 
proclaim  his  neighbor's  name  to  the  government;  that  is,  one 
shall  not  say:  "  May  the  Lord  protect  so  and  so,  from  whose 
house  to-day  went  out  a  hundred  oxen,  a  hundred  ewes,  and  a 
hundred  goats,"  etc.,  as  it  may  happen  that  just  at  that  time 
the  officer  passes  by  and  hears  this  and  reports  it  to  his  chief, 
and  the  latter  surrounds  his  house  and  takes  away  all  he  has. 
As  to  this,  the  following  passage  applies  [Prov.  xxvii,  14] : 
"  When  one  saluteth  his  friend  with  a  loud  voice  ...  it 
will  be  counted  a  curse  to  him."  According  to  others,  the  word 
Rashuth  means  not  the  government  but  publicity,  and  the  pas- 
sage is  to  be  construed  thus:  If  one's  friends  say  publicly  in  the 
market:  "  May  God  protect  so  and  so;  to-day  he  brought  into 
his  house  many  measures  of  wheat  and  barle}',"  etc.,  etc.,  rob- 
bers may  hear  of  it  and  come  in  the  night,  surround  the  house, 
and  take  away  all  he  possesses,  and  in  the  morning  he  has  noth- 
ing left.  Of  him  it  is  said  in  Scripture:  "  When  one  saluteth 
his  friend  with  a  loud  voice,"  etc. 

Others,  again,  say  that  it  means  the  government,  and  the 
expression  "  he  shall  not  announce,"  etc.,  means  one  shall  not 
endeavor  to  be  a  solicitor  for  the  governor  of  the  city  or  his  vice, 
for  they  rob  the  money  of  Israel. 

Still  another  explanation  is:  One  shall  not  seek  any  govern- 
ing power,  for  although  in  the  beginning  it  appears  very  pleas- 
ing, in  the  end  he  will  find  it  very  burdensome. 


MiSHNAy.     Abtalion  was  wont  to  say  :  "  Ye  wise,  be 
guarded  in  your  words  ;  lest  you  load  upon  yourselves 


46  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

the  penalty  of  exile  and  be  exiled  to  the  place  of  evil 
waters  ;  and  the  disciples  that  come  after  you  may  drink 
and  die,  and  the  name  of  Heaven  be  profaned." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

Ye  wise  men^  be  guarded  in  your  words.''  Perhaps  they 
will  decide  something  in  your  name  which  will  not  be  according 
to  the  teachings  of  Law,  and  ye  will  become  liable  to  the  pun- 
ishment of  exile,  and  be  banished  to  a  place  where  the  water  is 
bad.  What  is  meant  by  "  bad  water"  ?  It  is  permissible  to 
say  that  it  has  reference  to  the  vices  of  that  place,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Ps.  xvi.  35]:  "  And  they  will  mingle  with  the  nations  and 
v/ill  learn  their  doings."  Some  think  that  it  is  to  be  taken  lit- 
erally.    Others,  however,  think  that  it  refers  to  hard  labor. 


MiSHNA  K.  Hillel  and  Shammai  received  from  them. 
Hillel  said  :  "  Be  a  disciple  of  Aaron,  love  peace,  pursue 
peace,  love  all  men  too,  and  bring  them  nigh  unto  the 
Law." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  Love  peace."  How  so  ?  One  should  love  to  see  peace  in 
Israel  and  peace  everywhere,  as  Aaron  loved  peace,  about  whom 
it  is  written  [Mai.  ii.  6]:  "  The  love  of  truth  was  in  his  mouth, 
and  falsehood  was  not  found  on  his  lips;  in  peace  and  equity 
he  walked  with  me,  and  many  did  he  turn  away  from  iniquity." 
When  Aaron  went  on  the  highway  and  met  a  wicked  man,  he 
bade  him  peace  in  the  customary  form  of  salutation.  The  result 
was  that  that  man  reformed.  For  when  he  was  about  to  com- 
mit a  sin,  he  remembered  that  Aaron  the  high-priest  saluted 
him,  and  would  say:  "  Woe,  if  I  sin,  how  will  I  dare  to  raise 
my  eyes  and  look  Aaron  in  the  face,  who  was  so  friendly  to 
me? "  and  thus  he  is  prevented  from  sin. 

Likewise,  when  two  men  quarrelled  with  each  other  (and  it 
came  to  the  ears  of  Aaron),  he  went  to  one  of  them  and  said: 
"  My  son,  see  what  thy  neighbor  does.  He  beats  his  breast, 
tears  his  clothes  and  cries,  saying:  'Woe  is  me!  How  will  I 
dare  to  lift  up  my  eyes  to  look  my  neighbor  in  the  face  ?     I  am 


*  Chapter  XII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  47 

ashamed  of  myself,  for  it  is  I  who  wronged  him.'  "  Thus  Aaron 
allayed  the  bitterness  of  that  man's  feeling.  Then  Aaron  went 
to  the  other  man  and  addressed  him  in  the  same  style,  and  like- 
wise pacified  his  heart.  When  those  two  men  met,  they  no 
longer  eyed  one  another  as  enemies,  but  embraced  and  kissed 
each  other,  as  friends  do.  Because  of  Aaron's  peace-making, 
it  is  written  about  him  [Numb.  xx.  29]  :  "  They  wept  for  Aaron 
thirty  days." 

The  passages  about  the  mourning  of  Moses  and  Aaron  are 
differently  written.  About  Aaron  it  is  written  "  even  all  the 
liouse  of  Israel,"  which  includes  also  women;  about  Moses, 
however,  it  is  written  only,  "  and  the  children  of  Israel,"  which 
excludes  women.  To  explain  this,  there  are  different  opinions. 
Some  say  because  Moses,  who  Avas  a  true  judge  and  judged  justly 
without  favoritism,  used  to  rebuke  the  sinner  and  say  to  him: 
Thou  hast  sinned  in  so  and  so.  Aaron,  however,  when  judg- 
ing them,  judged  them  truly,  but  at  the  same  time  he  did  not 
rebuke  them,  even  when  the  sinners  were  males,  much  less  when 
they  were  females.  And,  secondly,  many  thousands  were  named 
Aaron,  after  the  high-priest.  For  were  it  not  for  Aaron  they 
would  not  have  been  brought  to  the  world  at  all,  as  Aaron's 
special  efforts  were  directed  toward  making  peace  between  man 
and  wife,  so  that  if,  after  that,  a  child  was  born  to  them  they 
named  him  after  their  peace-maker. 

According  to  others,  the  reason  why  even  all  the  house  of 
Israel  wept  is  because  they  had  seen  Moses  our  master  sitting 
and  weeping,  and  who  then  would  not  weep  ?  And  they  also 
saw  Elazar  and  Pinechas,  who  were  high-priests,  weeping,  and 
who  would  not  weep  with  them  ? 

Then  Moses  desired  to  die  the  same  death  that  Aaron  died. 
Why  so  ?  Because  it  was  said  that  Moses  saw  his  bier  decked 
out  with  great  pomp  and  many  divisions  of  angels  lamenting 
over  him.  And  although  Moses  never  expressed  that  wish,  but 
only  thought  so  in  his  heart,  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He, 
granted  him  his  desire,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxxii.  50]:  "  And 
die  in  the  mount  whither  thou  goest  up,  and  be  gathered  unto 
thy  people;  as  Aaron  thy  brother  died  on  Mount  Hor. "  From 
this  is  to  be  inferred  that  Moses  had  a  desire  to  die  the  death  of 
Aaron. 

At  the  time  (when  Moses  was  about  to  die),  God  said  to  the 
angel  of  death:  "  Go  and  bring  unto  me  the  soul  of  Moses." 
Coming  to  Moses,  he  demanded  his  soul.     But  Moses  censured 


48  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

the  angel  of  death.  He  said  to  hhn:  "  Thou  art  not  entitled  to 
be  where  I  am,  and  thou  art  asking  of  me  my  soul  ?  "  and  Moses 
drove  him  away  with  degradation.  At  length  the  Lord  said 
unto  Moses:  "Moses,  Moses,  thou  hast  lived  long  enough  in 
this  world,  as  thy  share  in  the  world  to  come  has  awaited  thee 
ever  since  creation,"  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxxiii.  21]:  "  And  the 
Lord  said,  Behold,  there  is  a  place  by  me,  and  thou  shalt  stand 
upon  the  rock."  Thereupon  the  Lord  Himself  took  the  soul  of 
Moses  and  placed  it  under  His  throne,  as  it  is  written  [I  Sam. 
XXV.  29] :  "  Yet  will  the  soul  of  my  Lord  be  bound  in  the  bond 
of  life."  And  He  took  his  soul  with  a  kiss,  as  it  is  written 
[Deut,  xxxiv.  5] :  "  Through  the  mouth  of  God."  * 

[Not  merely  the  soul  of  Moses  is  placed  under  His  throne, 
but  all  the  souls  of  the  righteous,  as  it  is  written:  "  Yet  Avill  the 
soul  of  my  Lord  be  bound  in  the  bond  of  life."  Should  one 
assume  that  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are  also  hidden  there,  there- 
fore it  is  written  [I  Sam.  xxv.  29]  :  "  And  the  soul  of  thy  ene- 
mies will  he  hurl  away,  as  out  of  the  middle  of  the  sling." 

For  the  better  understanding  of  this,  let  us  think  of  who 
puts  a  stone  in  his  sling:  although  he  hurls  it  from  one  place  to 
another,  he  knows  not  where  it  will  finally  land.  So  are  the 
souls  of  the  wicked :  they  are  wandering  and  hovering  in  the 
world  without  rest. 

After  the  death  of  Moses  the  Lord  again  commanded  the 
angel  of  death  to  bring  Him  the  soul  of  Moses.  He  went  to 
the  place  Avhere  he  used  to  be  found  when  alive,  but  did  not 
find  him.  He  then  went  to  the  ocean,  and  asked  whether 
Moses  was  there.  It  answered :  Since  the  day  when  the  Israel- 
ites passed  through  me,  I  have  not  seen  him.  He  went  to  the 
mountains  and  hills,  and  put  to  them  the  same  question,  and 
they  said :  Since  the  day  when  the  Israelites  received  the  Law 
from  Mount  Sinai,  we  have  not  seen  him.  So  he  went  to  the 
nether  world  and  place  of  perdition,  and  asked  them  the  same 
question,  and  they  said:  We  have  heard  of  his  name,  but  have 
never  seen  him.  Finally,  he  inquired  of  the  angels,  and  they 
said:  "  God  (alone)  understandeth  her  way,  and  he  knoweth 
her  place  "  [Job,  xxviii.  23].  The  Lord  preserved  him  for  a  life 
in  the  world  to  come,  and  no  creature  knows  where  he  is,  as  it 
is  written  [Job,  xxviii.  20-22]:  "  But  wisdom  ...  a  report 
of  her."     At  the  same  time  Joshua  was  sitting  and  grieving 

*nQ  in  Hebrew  means  "  mouth,"  and  the  Talmud  takes  it  literally. 


TRACT    ABOTII.  49 

because  he  did  not  know  where  his  master  was,  till  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  said  to  him:  Joshua,  do  not  grieve.  My 
servant  Moses  is  dead.] 

"  Pursue  peace.''  Hov/  so  ?  One  shall  be  a  pursuer  of  peace 
in  Israel  among  all  kinds  of  people.  If  a  man  remains  in  his 
place  silent,  he  cannot  be  a  pursuer  of  peace.  But  what  shall  he 
do  ?  He  should  leave  his  place  in  search  of  peace,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.]:  "  Seek  peace,  and  pursue  it."  Which  means,  seek  it 
in  thy  place,  and  if  thou  canst  not  find  it,  pursue  it  in  another. 

The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  also  made  peace  in  heaven, 
in  that  He  did  not  name  ten  angels  Gabriel,  Michael,  Uriel,  or 
Raphael,  as,  for  instance,  many  people  bear  the  same  name; 
otherwise,  when  He  would  summon  one  of  them,  they  would 
all  respond,  and  be  jealous  of  one  another.  Therefore  He  gave 
each  one  a  separate  name.  When  He  summons  one,  only  that  one 
comes,  and  He  sends  him  wherever  He  desires.  They  reverence 
and  respect  one  another,  and  are  meeker  than  human  beings,  for 
when  they  begin  to  sing  the  praises  of  the  Lord,  one  says  to 
another:  "  Begin  thou,  as  thou  art  greater  than  I  am";  and 
the  other  says:  "  Thou  art  greater  than  I  am,  and  therefore 
begin  thou."  With  human  beings,  however,  it  is  the  reverse. 
Every  one  says:  "  I  am  greater  than  thou  art."  Some  say  that 
not  individual  angels,  but  divisions  of  angels,  say  to  each  other: 
"  Begin  ye,  ye  are  greater  than  we  are,"  as  it  is  written  [Is.  vi. 
3]:  "  And  one  called  unto  the  other  and  said." 

"  Love  all  men  too.''  That  is  to  say,  that  one  should  love  all 
men,  and  not  hate  them;  for  so  we  find  with  the  men  of  the 
"  generation  of  the  division,"  because  they  loved  each  other, 
the  Lord  was  reluctant  to  destroy  them,  but  only  scattered  them 
to  all  four  corners  of  the  world.  The  men  of  Sodom,  however, 
because  they  hated  each  other,  were  annihilated  by  the  Lord, 
both  in  this  and  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xiii. 
13]:  "  But  the  men  of  Sodom  were  wicked  and  sinners  before 
the  Lord  exceedingly."  "  And  sinners"  implies  that  they  were 
guilty  of  illegal  unions;  "  before  the  Lord"  implies  that  they 
were  guilty  of  desecration  of  the  Holy  name;  "and  exceed- 
ingly," that  they  sinned  wilfully. 

"And  bring  them  nigh  unto  the  Lazv."  How  so?  One 
should  try  to  uplift*  people  and  bring  them  under  the  wings  of 


*  The   Hebrew  term  for  this  is  "  Mekapeah,"  derived   from  "  K'apah,"  high 
(Bechoroth,  45<^). 
4 


50  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

the  Shekhina,  as  our  father  Abraham  did;  and  not  only  Abra- 
ham, but  also  Sarah,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xii.  5] :  "  And  Abram 
took  Sarah  his  wife,  and  Lot  his  brother's  son,  and  all  their  sub- 
stance that  they  had  acquired,  and  the  persons  that  they  made^ 
in  Charan."  Is  it  possible  ?  Even  all  mankind  combined  could 
not  create  even  a  small  insect.  We  must,  therefore,  say  that 
the  Lord  considered  the  people  that  they  brought  under  the 
wings  of  the  Shekhina  as  if  they  had  made  them. 

As  one  cannot  divide  his  life  with  his  neighbor  in  this  world, 
so  he  cannot  divide  with  him  his  deserved  reward  in  the  world 
to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Eccl.  iv.  i]:  "  And,  behold,  there  are 
the  tears  of  the  oppressed,  and  they  have  no  comforter;  and 
from  the  hand  of  their  oppressors  they  suffer  violence,  and  they 
have  no  comforter."  Why  is  it  written  "  and  they  have  no  com- 
forter "  twice  ?  To  infer  that,  although  there  are  men  who  eat 
(plentily),  drink,  and  are  successful  with  their  sons  and  daugh- 
ters in  this  world,  they  may  have  nothing  in  the  world  to  come, 
and  they  will  have  no  comforter  there.  In  this  world,  when 
something  is  stolen  from  one,  or  a  death  occurs  in  one's  family, 
his  son,  brother,  and  other  relatives  come  and  console  him,  but 
this  cannot  be  done  in  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [ibid., 
ibid.  8] :  "  Yea,  he  hath  neither  son  nor  brother." 

The  same  is  the  case  with  one  who  has  begotten  an  illegiti- 
mate son;  for  the  latter  may  say  to  him:  "  Scoundrel,  thou  hast 
lost  thyself  as  well  as  me."  For  the  bastard  may  have  a  thirst 
for  knowledge,  and  therefore  desire  to  study  the  Law  in  Jerusa- 
lem together  with  the  other  disciples,  but  cannot  do  so  because, 
being  a  bastard,  he  is  prohibited  from  entering  Jerusalem.  It 
happened  once  that  a  bastard  was  not  allowed  to  pass  Ashdad, 
as  it  is  written  [Zech.  ix.  6] :  "  And  bastards  shall  dwell  in  Ash- 
dad, and  I  will  cut  off  the  pride  of  the  Philistines." 


MiSHNA  L.  He  also  used  to  say  :  "  A  name  made 
great  is  a  name  destroyed  ;  he  who  increases  not,  de- 
creases ;  and  he  who  will  not  learn  from  his  masters  is 
not  worthy  to  live  ;  and  he  who  uses  his  knowledge  as  a 
tiara  perishes." 

MiSHNA  M.     He  also  used  to  say  :  "  If  I  do  not  look 

*  According  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Talmud,  but  Leeser  translates  "obtained." 


TRACT   ABOTH. 


51 


to  myself,  ivho  will  do  so  ?     But  if  I  look  only  to  myself, 
what  am  I  ?     And  if  not  now,  when  ?  " 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

He  used  to  say :  '  If  I  do  tiot  look  to  myself,  ivJio  ivill  do  so?  '  " 
(That  is),  if  I  cannot  reach  any  reward  while  I  am  alive,  who  can 
reach  it  for  me  after  my  death  ? 

"  And  if  not  nozu,  tvhcn  ?  "  (That  is),  if  I  can  do  nothing  for 
myself  while  I  am  alive,  who  can  do  it  for  me  after  my  death  ? 
So  also  said  Ecclesiastes  [ix.  4]:  "  For  a  living  dog  fareth  better 
than  a  dead  lion."  By  "  a  living  dog"  is  meant  a  wicked  per- 
son who  exists  in  this  world,  and  "  than  a  dead  lion  "  refers  to 
all  the  righteous,  who  are  highly  received  in  the  world  to  come, 
including  even  the  patriarchs  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  The 
living  dog,  that  is,  a  wicked  man  who  is  still  alive,  fareth  better 
^ — is  accepted  by  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  when  he  repents 
and  becomes  virtuous  and  receives  a  share  in  the  world  to  come, 
while  a  dead  lion  cannot  add  aught  to  his  good  deeds  after  he  is 
dead.  The  same  used  to  say :  "  If  thou  wilt  come  to  my  house," 
etc.     (See  Section  Moed,  Vol.  VII.  ;  Succah,  pp.  83,  84.) 

It  happened  that  Hillel  the  First,  while  on  a  journey,  met 
men  carrying  wheat.  He  inquired  how  much  was  a  saah,  and 
was  told  two  dinars.  Afterward  he  met  others,  who  gave  him 
the  price  of  the  same  as  three  dinars.  He  said:  "  Did  not  the 
first  men  say  it  was  only  two  dinars  ?  "  They  rejoined  :  "  Thou 
foolish  Babylonian,  dost  thou  not  know  that  the  reward  is  ac- 
cording to  the  trouble  ? "  (They  came  from  a  farther  distance.) 
But  he  said  :  "  Is  that  your  answer  to  my  civil  question  ?" 
Finally  he  succeeded  in  making  them  gentle  and  accommodating. 

He  also  used  to  say  four  things  in  the  Babylonian  dialect: 

"  A  name  made  great  is  a  name  destroyed.''  It  means,  a  man 
shall  not  desire  to  have  his  name  proclaimed  to  the  government, 
for  the  reason  stated  above,  p.  45. 

"  And  he  who  docs  7iot  desire  to  learn  from  his  masters."  It 
was  said  that  it  happened  to  an  inhabitant  of  Beth  Ramah  who 
adopted  the  customs  of  the  pious,  and  Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zak- 
kai  sent  one  of  his  disciples  to  examine  him.  He  found  him 
occupied  in  heating  oil  on  a  range  and  then  pouring  it  into 
peeled  grain.  On  being  questioned  what  he  was  doing,  he 
answered,  I  am  careful  with  the  heave-offering,  to  eat  it  in  its 


52  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

purity,  just  as  if  I  were  a  high-priest.  Then  he  asked  again:  Is 
this  range  clean  or  unclean?  He  rejoined:  Do  we  then  find 
anywhere  in  the  Torah  that  a  range  can  be  unclean  ?  An  oven 
only  is  mentioned,  as  it  is  written  [Lev.  xi.  33]:  "  Whatsoever 
is  in  it  shall  be  unclean."  Then  the  disciple  again  rejoined: 
The  law  of  the  oven  applies  also  to  the  range,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.,  ibid.  35] :  "  An  oven  or  range  shall  be  broken  down,  they 
are  unclean."  The  same  added:  If  such  was  thy  habit,  thou 
hast  never  in  thy  life  eaten  clean  heave-offerings. 

''He  who  increases  not,  decreases.''  How  so?  If  one  has 
learned  one,  two,  or  even  three  treatises,  and  has  not  added 
anything  thereto,  he  will  finally  forget  even  that. 

' '  A  nd  he  who  serves  himself  with  the  tiara  perishes. ' '  Any 
one  that  uses  the  name  of  the  Lord,  as  it  is  written,  which  is 
prohibited,  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come. 


MisHNA  A^.  Shammai  was  in  the  habit  of  saying  : 
"  Fix  a  time  for  study ;  promise  little,  and  do  much  ; 
receive  every  one  with  friendly  countenance." 

MisHNA  O.  Rabban  Gamaliel  said :  "  Make  to  thyself 
a  master,  and  free  thyself  of  doubt,  and  tithe  not  much 
by  estimation." 

MiSHNA  P.  Simeon  his  son  was  wont  to  say:  "All 
the  days  of  my  life  have  been  passed  among  the  sages, 
and  I  have  never  found  anything  better  for  a  man  than 
silence  ;  and  the  discussion  of  the  law  is  not  of  such 
import  as  is  the  practice  thereof.  He  who  talks  much, 
cannot  avoid  sin." 

MiSHNA  Q.  He  also  said:  "Three  things  support  the 
world — law,  truth,  and  peace — as  it  is  written  [Zechariah, 
viii.  16]:  'Truth  and  the  judgment  of  peace,  judge  ye  in 
your  gates.' " 

Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan, 

*"  Fix  a  time  for  study,"  etc.  It  means,  when  one  has 
heard  something  from  a  sage  in  the  college,  he  shall  not  treat  it 
as  something  unessential,  but  as  a  standard  saying  to  be  studied 

*  Chapter  XIII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  53 

diligently,  and  what  he  learns  from  the  wise  he  shall  teach  it  to 
others,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  v.  i] :  "  That  ye  may  learn  them, 
and  that  ye  may  observe  to  do  them."  And  also  of  Ezra  it  is 
first  written  [vii.  10]:  "  For  Ezra  had  directed  his  heart  to  in- 
quire in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  to  do  it."  And  immediately 
after  it  is  written  [ibid.]  :  "  And  to  teach  in  Israel  statutes  and 
ordinances." 

"  Promise  little,  and  do  much.''  K's.  such  is  the  custom  of  the 
righteous,  who  promise  little  but  do  much;  the  custom  of  the 
wicked,  however,  is  to  promise  much  and  do  nothing.  Whence 
do  we  know  that  the  upright  promise  little,  and  do  much  ? 
PVom  Abraham  our  father,  who  said  to  the  angels:  "  Ye  will 
eat  with  me  a  morsel  of  bread,"  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xviii.  5]  : 
"  And  I  will  fetch  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  comfort  ye  your  heart." 
But  what  did  he  in  reality  do  ?  He  prepared  for  them  three 
oxen  and  nine  saah  of  fine  meal.  And  whence  do  we  know  that 
he  baked  for  them  nine  measures  of  fine  meal  ?  From  [ibid.  6] : 
"And  Abraham  hastened  into  the  tent  unto  Sarah  and  said: 
Make  ready  quickly  three  measures  of  fine  meal."  "Three" 
is  literal,  "  meal"  is  six,  and  "  fine  meal  "  is  nine.  And  whence 
is  it  derived  that  he  roasted  for  them  three  oxen  ?  From  the 
following  [ibid.,  ibid.  7]:  "  And  Abraham  ran  unto  the  herd," 
etc.  "  The  herd"  means  one,  "  a  calf"  one,  "  tender"  one. 
According  to  others  it  was  four,  because  the  word  "good," 
which  is  added,  is  also  counted  as  one.  "  And  gave  it  unto  a 
young  man  "  [ibid.].  This  means  Ishmael  his  son,  to  accustom 
him  to  religious  practice. 

Also  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  promised  little  and  did 
much,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xv.  13,  14]:  "And  he  said  unto 
Abram,  know  of  a  surety  that  thy  seed  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a 
land  which  is  not  theirs,  and  they  will  make  them  serve,  and 
they  will  afflict  them  four  hundred  years.  And  also  that  nation 
whom  they  shall  serve,  will  I  judge;  and  afterward  shall  they 
go  out  with  great  substance."  He  promised  him  with  "1  and  |, 
the  numerical  value  of  which  is  54.  But  when  the  Lord  at  last 
avenged  Himself  on  Israel's  enemies,  He  did  so  with  seventy- 
two  letters  (contained  in  verse  34,  Deut.  xxxiv.) :  *  "  Or  hath  a 


*  There  are  seventy-five  letters  in  the  Hebrew  text  beginning  with  the  word  sn? 
and  endin-  with  D'^nJ,  the  translation  of  which  is  "go  to  take  to  himself  a  nation 
from  the  midst  of  a  nation,  by  proofs,  by  signs,  and  by  wonders,  and  by  war,  and  by 
a  mighty  hand,  and  by  an  outstrctclicd  arm,  and  by  great  terrors."  And  in  Midrash 
it  is  explained  that  one  word,  •'"IJ,  of  three  letters  is  not  counted,  for  it  has  reference  to 


54  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

god  essayed  to  go  to  take  to  himself  a  nation  from  the  midst  of 
a  nation,  by  proofs,  by  signs,  and  by  wonders  .  .  .  and  by 
great  terrors." 

Whence  is  it  derived  that  the  wicked  promise  much  and  do 
nothing  ?  From  Ephron,  who  said  to  Abraham  [Gen.  xxiii. 
15]  :  "A  piece  of  land  worth  four  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  what 
is  that  between  me  and  thee?"  Nevertheless,  in  the  end  he 
accepted  the  whole  sum  of  the  money,  as  it  is  written  [ibid., 
ibid.  16]:  "  And  Abraham  understood  the  meaning  of  Ephron ; 
and  Abraham  weighed  out  to  Ephron  the  silver." 

"  Receive  every  one  with  friendly  countenance."  How  so  ? 
That  means,  that  even  if  one  presents  to  his  neighbor  the  most 
precious  things  with  bad  grace,  it  is  accounted  to  him  in  Scrip- 
ture as  if  he  had  given  nothing;  but  if  one  receives  his  neighbor 
with  a  friendly  countenance,  although  he  give  him  nothing,  it  is 
accounted  to  him  in  Scripture  as  if  he  had  conferred  upon  him 
great  favors. 

Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  received  from  Hillel  and  Sham- 
mai.  Hillel  the  First  had  eighty  disciples,  thirty  of  whom  were 
worthy  that  the  Shekhina  rest  upon  them  as  on  Moses,  but  their 
generation  was  not  deserving  of  it.  Thirty  others  were  worthy 
to  institute  the  intercalary  years,  etc.,  etc.  (Continued  in  Suc- 
cah,  pp.  36,  37.) 

"  He  used  to  say  :  '  If  thou  hast  accumulated  much  knowledge, 
do  not  boast  of  it,  for  it  is  for  that  that  thou  zvast  created. 

There  are  five  disciples  of  Rabbi  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  whom 
he  characterized  in  the  following  manner:  Eliezer  b.  Hyrcanus 
as  "  a  plastered  cistern  which  loseth  not  a  drop";  Joshua  b. 
Hananiah  as  "  a  threefold  cord  that  cannot  quickly  be  torn 
asunder";  Jose  the  priest  as  "  the  most  pious  in  his  genera- 
tion"; Ishmael  b.  Hananiah  as  "  a  garden-bed  in  the  desert 
which  absorbs  water";  and  Elazar  b.  Arach  he  named  "  as  a 
flowing  brook  and  swelling  spring  whose  waters  rise  and  over- 
flow abroad,"  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  v.  16] :  "  So  will  thy  springs 
overflow  abroad;  and  in  the  open  streets  will  be  thy  rivulets  of 
water." 


Egypt.     Of  the  many  commentaries  upon  this  difficult  and  complicated  passage  this 
seems  to  us  to  be  the  best,  which  is  according  to  Isaiah  Berlin  (Pick). 
*  Chapter  XIV.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  55 

'  *  /  consider  the  judgment  of  R.  Elazar  b.  A  rack, ' '  etc.  H  appy 
is  the  disciple  who  receives  from  his  master  such  a  testimonial  of 
praise  and  acknowledgment.  When  the  son  of  Rabban  Johanan 
b.  Zakkai  died,  his  disciples  came  to  console  him.  R.  Eliezer 
entered  first,  sat  down  before  him,  and  asked  his  permission  to 
say  something.  The  request  having  been  granted,  he  said: 
"  Adam  the  First  accepted  consolation  when  his  son  died.  And 
whence  do  we  find  it  so?  It  is  written  [Gen.  iv.  25]:  'And 
Adam  knew  his  wife  again '  {'  again  '  means  after  this  consola- 
tion). Thou  also  shouldst  accept  consolation."  He  rejoined: 
"  Is  not  my  own  grief  sufficient,  that  thou  must  remind  me  of 
that  of  Adam  the  First  ? " 

Next  entered  R.  Joshua,  and  also  asked  for  permission  to 
say  something,  which  was  granted,  who  then  said:  "  Job,  who 
had  many  sons  and  daughters,  all  of  whom  died  in  one  day,  yet 
he  accepted  consolation.  As  it  is  written  [Job,  i.  21]:  'The 
Lord  gave  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  may  the  name  of  the 
Lord  be  blessed.'  "  He  rejoined:  "  Is  not  my  own  grief  suffi- 
cient, that  thou  remindest  me  of  that  of  Job  ? " 

Next  entered  R.  Jose.  He  sat  down  before  him  and  said: 
"  Be  it  thy  wish  that  I  say  something."  And  being  encouraged 
by  the  sage,  he  continued:  "Aaron  had  two  full-grown  sons, 
and  both  died  on  one  day,  yet  he  accepted  consolation,  as  it  is 
written  [Lev.  x.  3] :  '  And  Aaron  held  his  peace,'  which  means 
that  he  was  consoled.  Would  it  not  be  right  that  thou  shouldst 
do  likewise  ? "  The  sage  rejoined:  "  Have  I  not  enough  of  my 
own  grief  ?     Why  do  you  remind  me  of  the  grief  of  Aaron  ? " 

Then  entered  R.  Simeon,  and  said:  "Rabbi,  may  I  be 
favored  by  thee  to  say  a  word  in  thy  august  presence  ?  "  And 
the  sage  answered:  "  Proceed."  Then  the  former  said :  "  King 
David  had  a  son  who  died,  and  he  received  condolence.  It  well 
becomes  thee  to  persuade  thyself  into  comfort.  As  to  King 
David,  it  is  written  [II  Sam.  xii.  2^1]:  'And  David  comforted 
liathsheba  his  wife,  and  he  went  in  unto  her,  and  lay  with  her; 
and  she  bore  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Solomon.'"  He  re- 
joined: "  Is  not  my  own  grief  sufficient,  that  you  all  remind  me 
of  the  grief  of  others  ?  " 

Finally  R.  Elazar  b.  Arach  entered,  and  when  the  master 
saw  him  he  said  to  his  servant:  "  Take  a  vessel  and  follow  me 
to  the  bath-house;  the  man  who  is  entering  now  is  a  great  man, 
and  I  am  sure  that  I  could  not  withstand  his  arguments."  He 
entered,  sat  down  before  him,  and  said:  "  I  will  entertain  thee 


56  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

by  telling  a  parable:  A  king  had  intrusted  one  of  his  subjects 
with  a  precious  article.  The  man  used  to  exclaim,  weeping: 
'  Woe  is  me!  When  will  I  be  relieved  of  this  responsibility  ?* 
This,  O  Rabbi,  is  thy  case.  Thy  son,  who  spent  his  time  in 
sacred  study,  departed  from  the  world  sinless.  What  a  com- 
fort it  ought  to  be  to  thee  that  thou  hast  returned  the  article  in- 
trusted to  thy  care  intact!  "  Hereupon  the  sage  said:  "  Elazar, 
my  son,  thou  hast  consoled  me  as  people  should  console  each 
other." 

When  they  left  him,  Elazar  said:  "  I  will  go  to  Damsith, 
which  is  a  fine  place  with  excellent  waters  " ;  and  the  other  dis- 
ciples said:  "We  will  go  to  Jamnia,  where  there  are  many 
scholars,  and  love  the  study  of  Law."  He  that  went  to  Dam- 
sith lost  a  good  deal  of  his  authority,  but  the  names  of  those 
who  went  to  Jamnia,  the  seat  of  great  scholarship,  became 
legion  in  learned  circles. 


Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  Thy  fellow's  honor  must  be  as  dear  to  thee  as  thine  own.'" 
How  so  ?  As  one  watches  over  his  own  honor,  so  should  he 
guard  the  honor  of  his  neighbor,  and  as  one  is  loath  to  see  his 
own  honor  assailed,  he  should  be  so  in  regard  to  the  honor  of 
his  neighbor. 

Another  explanation  of  the  above  is:  When  one  is  possessed 
of  an  hundred  thousand,  and  all  is  taken  away  from  him,  he 
should  keep  his  conscience  clear  even  of  the  value  of  a  small 
coin. 

"Do  not  allow  thyself  to  be  easily  angered.''  That  is,  one 
should  be  as  meek  as  Hillel  the  Elder,  and  not  as  irritable  as 
Shammai  the  Elder.  It  is  said  about  Hillel  that  two  men  once 
wagered  the  sum  of  four  hundred  zuz  upon  his  patience;  the 
one  who  could  succeed  to  provoke  his  anger  was  to  receive  the 
amount.  (See  Sabbath,  p.  50;  the  whole  legend  ending  with): 
"  Take  care  of  thy  temper.  A  Hillel  is  worthy  that  twice  that 
amount  be  lost  through  him;  a  Hillel  must  not  get  excited." 

f  What  was  the  irascibility  of  Shammai  the  Elder  ?     It  was 

*  Chapter  XV.  of  the  original. 

f  This  is  also  stated  in  Sabbath,  p.  51  ;  but  because  it  is  here  more  in  detail,  we 
give  it  again. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  57 

related  that  once  a  man  came  to  Shammai  and  said:  "  Rabbi, 
how  many  Laws  have  you  ? "  "  Two  Laws:  the  written  and 
the  oral  Law."  He  answered:  "  I  believe  in  the  written,  but 
not  in  the  oral  Law,"  said  the  man.  But  Shammai  rebuked 
him,  and  drove  him  away. 

The  same  man  came  to  Hillel  and  said:  "  Rabbi,  how  many 
Laws  were  given  ?  "  And  he  told  him  two— the  written  and  the 
oral.  The  man  said:  "  I  believe  in  the  written,  but  not  in  the 
oral  Law."  And  Hillel  said:  "  Sit  down,  my  son,  and  write 
for  me  the  Aleph-Beth.  After  he  did  so,  he  asked  him  what 
the  first  letter  was.  "  An  Aleph,"  said  the  man.  "  It  is  not 
an  Aleph,  but  a  Beth,"  said  Hillel.  And  he  again  asked  him: 
"  What  is  this  ?"  And  the  man  said:  "  A  Beth."  "  It  is  not 
a  Beth,  but  a  Gimel,"  said  Hillel.  "Whence  knowest  thou 
that  this  is  Aleph,  the  other  a  Beth,  and  the  third  a  Gimel  ? 
Because  it  is  a  tradition  of  our  forefathers,  and  whereas  thou 
believest  in  one  tradition,  believe  also  in  the  other." 

It  happened  that  a  Gentile  passing  by  a  synagogue  heard  a 
child  reading:  "And  these  are  the  garments  which  they  shall 
make:  a  breastplate,  and  an  ephod,  and  a  robe  "  [Ex.  xxviii.  4]. 
He  came  to  Shammai  and  said:  "  Rabbi,  to  whom  belongeth  all 
that  honor?"  "To  the  high-priest  who  serves  at  the  altar," 
was  the  answer.  The  Gentile  then  said:  "  Convert  me,  on  the 
condition  that  I  be  made  a  high-priest."  Said  Shammai :  "Are 
there  no  priests  in  Israel,  or  have  we  no  high-priests,  but  that 
we  should  raise  to  this  dignity  this  lowly  stranger,  who  came 
to  us  but  with  his  staff  and  knapsack  ? "  He  rebuked  him,  and 
drove  him  away. 

He  then  came  to  Hillel  with  the  same  request,  and  the  latter 
said:  "  Sit  down,  and  I  will  tell  thee  something.  If  one  is  to 
appear  before  a  human  king,  is  it  not  demanded  of  him  that  he 
learn  how  to  make  his  entrance  and  exit  ?"  "  It  is  so,"  said 
the  Gentile.  Then  continued  Hillel:  "  Thou,  who  art  desirous  of 
appearing  before  the  King  of  kings  of  kings,  how  much  more 
necessary  for  thee  to  learn  how  to  enter  the  Holy  of  Holies,  how 
to  trim  the  lamps,  how  to  approach  the  altar,  how  to  order  the 
table,  and  how  to  prepare  the  fire  on  the  altar."  The  man  then 
replied:  "What  seems  right  to  thee?"  So  Hillel  wrote  for 
him  the  Alcph-Beth,  and  he  learned  it;  then  he  instructed  him 
in  Leviticus,  and  he  went  on  learning  till  he  came  to  the  pas- 
sage: "And  the  stranger  that  cometh  nigh  shall  be  put  to 
death"  [Numb.  i.  51].     Then  he  of  himself  made  the  following 


58  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

deduction :  If  the  people  of  Israel,  who  are  called  the  children 
of  the  Lord,  and  of  whom  the  Shekhina  said  [Ex.  xix.  6]: 
"  And  ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  a  holy- 
nation,"  were  so  warned  by  Scripture,  should  not  I,  an  insig- 
nificant stranger  who  has  come  merely  with  his  knapsack,  take 
the  hint  ?  Thus  the  stranger  became  reconciled  of  his  own 
accord. 

He  came  to  Hillel  the  Elder  and  said:  "All  the  blessings 
that  are  contained  in  the  Torah  shall  rest  upon  thy  head,  for 
hadst  thou  been  as  Shammai  the  Elder,  I  would  not  have  be- 
come as  one  of  Israel.  His  irascibility  came  near  causing  me  to 
be  lost  both  in  this  world  and  the  one  to  come;  but  the  patience 
of  Hillel  has  brought  me  to  a  life  in  this  world  and  the  one  to 
come."  It  was  said  that  to  this  proselyte  were  born  two  sons: 
he  named  one  Hillel  and  the  other  Gamaliel,  and  they  were 
called  Hillel's  proselytes. 

"Repent  one  day  before  thy  deaths  The  disciples  of  R. 
Eliezer  asked  him:  "  How  can  one  know  the  day  of  his  death, 
that  he  may  then  repent?"  He  answered:  "For  that  very 
reason  he  should  make  every  to-day  a  day  of  repentance  "  ;  that 
is,  he  should  be  repenting  all  his  life. 

R.  Jose  bar  Jehudah  said  in  the  name  of  his  father  R.  Jehu- 
dah  bar  Ilai,  who  said  it  in  the  name  of  Ilai,  quoting  R.  Eliezer 
the  Great:  "  Repent  one  day  before  thy  death,  and  warm  thy- 
self before  the  light  of  the  wise,  but  beware  of  their  embers, 
perchance  thou  mayest  be  singed ;  for  their  bite  is  the  bite  of 
a  fox,  and  their  sting  is  the  sting  of  a  scorpion  and  also  their 
words  are  as  coals  of  fire." 


CHAPTER   II. 

MiSHNA  A.  Rabbi  (Jehudah  the  Prince)  was  in  the 
habit  of  saying  :  "  In  choosing  the  right  path,  see  that  it 
is  one  which  is  honorable  to  thyself  and  without  offence  to 
others.  Be  as  scrupulous  about  the  lightest  command  as 
about  the  weightiest,  for  no  man  knowcth  the  result  of  his 
actions.  Weigh  the  present  temporal  disadvantages  of  a 
dutiful  course  against  the  reward  of  the  future,  and  the 
present  desirable  fruits  of  a  sinful  deed  against  the  injury 
to  thine  immortal  soul.  In  general,  consider  three  things 
and  thou  wilt  never  fall  into  sin  :  remember  that  there  is 
above  thee  an  all-seeing  eye,  an  all-hearing  ear,  and  a 
record  of  all  thine  actions." 

MisHNA  B.  Rabban  Gamaliel,  the  son  of  R.  Jehudah 
the  Prince,  was  wont  to  say :  "  Beautiful  is  the  study  of  the 
Law  when  conjoined  with  a  worldly  avocation,  for  the 
efforts  demanded  by  both  stifle  all  inclination  to  sin. 
But  study  which  is  not  associated  with  some  worldly  pur- 
suit must  eventually  cease,  and  may  lead  to  iniquity. 
All  who  occupy  themselves  with  communal  affairs  should 
do  it  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  for  the  merit  of  their 
fathers  sustains  them  and  thejr  righteousness  stands  for- 
ever. And  ye  yourselves  shall  have  reward  reckoned 
unto  you,  as  if  ye  had  wrought  it." 

MisiiNA  C.  ["  Be  cautious  with  those  in  authority,  for 
they  let  not  a  man  approach  them  but  for  their  own  pur- 
poses; and  they  appear  like  friends  when  it  is  to  their 
advantage,  and  stand   not  by  a  man  in  the  time  of  his 

need."] 

MiSHNA  D.  He  also  used  to  say :  "  Do  His  will  as  if  it 
were  thy  own,  that  He  may  do  thy  will  as  if  it  were  His. 


6o  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Annul  thy  will  before  His,  that  He  may  annul  the  will  of 
others  before  thy  will." 

MiSHNA  E.  Hillel  was  in  the  habit  of  saying:  "  Do 
not  isolate  thyself  from  the  community  and  its  interest. 
Do  not  rely  upon  thy  spiritual  strength  until  the  day  of 
thy  death.  Pass  not  judgment  upon  thy  neighbor  until 
thou  hast  put  thyself  in  his  place.  Say  not  a  thing  which 
must  not  be  heard,  because  eventually  it  will  be  heard. 
Say  never,  '  Sometime  or  other,  when  I  enjoy  leisure,  I 
will  attend  to  my  spiritual  advancement ' ;  perhaps  thou 
wilt  then  never  have  the  leisure." 

MiSHNA  F.  He  also  said  :  "  The  boor  can  never  fear 
sin,  the  ignorant  can  never  be  truly  pious.  Whoso  is 
ashamed  to  ask  will  never  learn  ;  no  irritable  man  can  be 
a  teacher.  He  whose  mind  is  given  to  worldly  gain  will 
not  acquire  wisdom.  Where  a  man  is  needed,  endeavor 
that  thou  be  the  man." 

MiSHNA  G.  Moreover,  he  saw  a  skull  which  floated  on 
the  face  of  the  water,  and  he  said  to  it  :  "  Because  thou 
drownedst  they  drowned  thee,  and  in  the  end  they  that 
drowned  thee  will  be  drowned."  * 

MiSHNA  77.  He  furthermore  said:  "The  more  feast- 
ing the  more  food  for  worms  ;  the  more  wealth  the  more 
cares  ;  more  women,  more  witchcraft ;  more  maid-ser- 
vants, more  lewdness  ;  more  men-servants,  more  theft. 
But  the    more    knowledge  the  more    food  for  life  ;   the 

*  All  commentators  concur  in  the  opinion  that  the  above  Mishna  teaches  us  noth- 
ing else  but  a  lesson  of  retaliation;  namely,  that  "the  Almighty  pays  measure  for 
measure,"  or,  in  other  words,  that  the  punishment  fits  the  crime.  I  am,  however, 
inclined  to  believe  that  if  the  author  of  the  above  Mishna  had  intended  to  teach  us 
only  the  said  lesson,  he  could  find  better  and  more  striking  illustrations  than  "the 
skull,"  etc.  I  am,  therefore,  of  the  opinion  that  a  historical  fact  is  underlying  the 
above  Mishna.  Plillel  lived  during  the  time  of  Herod  and  witnessed  all  the  atrocities 
which  that  tyrant  perpetrated  on  the  people,  and  more  especially  on  the  Rabbis. 
Hiliel  was  also  an  eye-witness  of  the  foul  murder  which  Herod  had  committed  by 
having  drowned  in  a  bath  his  brother-in-law,  the  high-priest  Aristobule  III.  (See 
Gratz's  History,  Vol.  III.,  page  203.)  The  rh^hl  (skull)  of  the  Mishna  does  there- 
fore refer  to  Aristobule,  and  since  Hillel  could  not  openly  express  his  indignation, 
for  fear  of  the  tyrant,  he  made  an  indirect  allusion  to  the  occurrence. — From  the 
American  Israelite,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Talk  Vedaver. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  6i 

more  study  the  more  wisdom  ;  the  more  reflection  the 
better  the  counsel ;  the  more  charity  the  more  peace.  He 
who  earns  a  good  name  gains  something  that  can  never 
be  taken  away.  He  who  has  gotten  to  himself  words  of 
Law  has  gotten  to  himself  the  life  of  the  world  to  come." 
MisiiNA  /  Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  received  it 
from  Hillel  and  Shammai.  He  was  wont  to  say:  "If 
thou  hast  learned  much,  do  not  boast  of  it,  for  it  is  for 
that  that  thou  wast  created." 

MisiiNAy.  The  above  had  the  following  five  disciples: 
R.  Eliezer  b.  Hyrkanos,  R.  Joshua  b.  Hananiah,  R.  Jose 
the  priest,  R.  Simeon  b.  Nathaniel,  and  R.  Elazar  b. 
Arach.  He  used  to  recount  their  praises:  "  Eliezer  b. 
Hyrkanos  is  a  plastered  cistern,  which  loseth  not  a  drop  ; 
Joshua  b.  Hananiah — happy  is  she  that  bare  him  ;  Jose 
is  pious  ;  Simeon  b.  Nathaniel  is  a  sin-fearer  ;  Elazar  b. 
Arach  is  a  welling  spring." 

He  used  to  say  :  "  If  all  the  wise  of  Israel  were  in  a 
scale  of  the  balance,  and  Eliezer  b.  Hyrkanos  in  the  other 
scale,  he  would  outweigh  them  all."  Abba  Saul,  however, 
said  in  his  name  :  "  If  all  the  wise  of  Israel  were  in  a  scale 
of  the  balance  and  Eliezer  b.  Hyrkanos  with  them,  and 
Elazar  b.  Arach  in  the  other  scale,  he  would  outweigh 
them  all." 

MisiiNA  K.  He  (Johanan  b.  Zakkai)  said  to  them 
once  :  "  Go  out  and  find  what  is  the  best  thing  to  cul- 
tivate." R.  Eliezer  said:  A  generous  eye;  R.  Joshua 
said:  A  loyal  friend;  R.  Jose  said:  A  good  neighbor ; 
R.  Simeon  thought :  Prudence  and  foresight ;  R.  Elazar 
said :  A  good  heart.  Thereupon  the  Master  said  :  "  I 
consider  R.  Elazar  b.  Arach's  judgment  the  best,  for  in 
his  all  of  yours  are  included." 

He  said  to  them  again  :  "  Go  and  find  out  which  is  the 
evil  way  a  man  should  shun."  R.  Eliezer  said  :  An  evil 
eye;  R.  Joshua  said  :  An  evil  companion  ;  R.  Jose  said  : 
An  evil  neighbor  ;  and  R.  Simeon  said  ;  He  that  bor- 
rowed and  repayeth  not ;  he  that  borrows  from  a  man  is 


62  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

the  same  as  if  he  borroweth  from  the  Omnipotent,  as  it 
is  written  [Ps.  xxxvii.  21]  :  "The  wicked  borroweth  and 
repayeth  not,  but  the  righteous  is  beneficent  and  giveth." 
R.  Elazar  said  :  An  evil  heart.  Thereupon  the  Master 
said  :  "  I  consider  R.  Elazar  b.  Arach's  judgment  the  best, 
for  in  his  all  of  yours  are  included." 

MiSHNA  L,  Each  of  these  disciples  had  three  maxims. 
R.  Eliezer  :  "  Thy  fellowman's  honor  must  be  as  dear  to 
thee  as  thine  own.  Do  not  allow  thyself  to  be  easily 
angered.  Repent  one  day  before  thy  death."  (He  also 
said  :)  "  Warm  thyself  before  the  light  of  the  wise,  but 
beware  of  their  embers,  perchance  thou  mayest  be  singed  ; 
for  their  bite  is  the  bite  of  a  fox,  and  their  sting  the  sting 
of  a  scorpion,  and  their  hiss  is  that  of  a  fiery-serpent ;  and 
all  their  words  are  as  coals  of  fire." 

MiSHNA  M.  R.  Joshua  :  "  An  envious  eye,  sinful  pro- 
pensities, and  misanthropy  drive  a  man  out  of  the  world." 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  An  envious  eye,''  etc.  How  so  ?  It  means  one  shall  look 
upon  the  house  of  his  neighbor  with  the  same  eye  as  he  looks 
upon  his  own ;  and  as  one  is  anxious  that  there  be  no  bad  repute 
against  his  wife  and  children,  so  should  he  be  anxious  in  regard 
to  his  neighbor's  or  his  children's. 

Another  explanation  of  this  passage  is:  One  shall  not  be 
envious  of  the  erudition  of  his  neighbor.  It  happened  to  one 
who  zvas  envious,  that  his  days  were  shortened,  and  he  departed 
prematurely  from  this  world  in  consequence  thereof. 

*'  Sinful  propensities.''  How  so?  It  is  said  that  the  evil 
propensities  are  thirteen  years  older  than  the  good  propensities, 
as  they  begin  to  grow  with  the  child  in  the  mother's  womb,  so 
that  he  defiles  the  Sabbath  and  commits  other  transgressions, 
and  there  is  nothing  in  his  mind  to  remonstrate  with  him.  But 
when  he  is  thirteen  years  old,  the  good  thoughts  are  born.  If 
he  defiles  the  Sabbath,  they  tell  him  :  Scoundrel,  is  it  not  written 
[Ex.  xxxi.  14]:  "  Every  one  that  defileth  it  shall  surely  be  put 
to  death."     If  he  is  about  to  commit  adultery,  they  say  to  him : 

*  Chapter  XVI.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  63 

Scoundrel,  is  it  not  written  [Lev\  xx.  10]:  "Then  shall  the 
adulterer  be  put  to  death,  together  with  the  adulteress."  When 
one  becomes  excited  and  is  about  to  commit  incest,  all  the  mem- 
bers of  his  body  are  willing,  for  the  evil  thoughts  reign  over  all 
the  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  members;  but  when  he  is  about 
to  perform  a  meritorious  deed,  all  his  members  begin  to  pain  him, 
for  the  evil  thoughts  within  him  reign  over  all  the  two  hundred 
and  forty-eight  members  of  his  body;  and  the  good  thoughts  are 
compared  to  one  who  is  imprisoned,  as  it  is  written  [Eccl.  iv. 
14]:  "  For  out  of  the  prison  cometh  the  one  to  reign,"  which 
refers  to  the  good  thoughts. 

[There  are  others  who  say  that  it  refers  to  Joseph  the  upright. 
This  wicked  woman  (his  mistress)  used  to  persecute  him  with  her 
words.  She  said:  "  I  will  imprison  thee."  He  answered: 
"  The  Lord  looseneth  the  prisoners."  She  said:  "  I  will  dig 
out  thy  eyes."  He  answered:  "The  Lord  causeth  the  blind 
to  see."  She  said:  "  I  will  bend  thy  stature."  He  answered: 
"  The  Lord  raiseth  up  those  who  are  bowed  down." 

And  in  reality  there  is  no  wonder  that  Joseph  the  upright 
refused  to  listen  to  her,  as  the  same  happened  to  R.  Zadoq,  as 
it  was  said:  To  R.  Zadoq,  who  was  great  in  his  generation,  while 
he  was  in  captivity,  a  certain  matron  sent  a  beautiful  female 
slave;  but  as  soon  as  he  noticed  her  he  turned  around  to  the 
wall,  so  as  not  to  see  her,  and  absorbed  himself  with  the  Torah 
all  night.  In  the  morning  she  went  to  complain  to  her  mistress, 
and  said  :  "  Death  is  preferable  to  me  than  to  be  with  this  man." 
The  matron  sent  for  him  and  asked  :  "  Why  hast  thou  not  treated 
this  woman  as  men  usually  treat  women  ?"  He  answered:  "  I 
could  not  do  otherwise.  I  belong  to  a  great  family  of  priests. 
I  have  entirely  ignored  her,  so  as  not  to  be  tempted  to  have 
intercourse  with  her,  and  add  bastards  to  Israel."  When  she 
heard  this,  she  gave  orders  concerning  him,  and  then  dismissed 
him  with  great  honor.  Neither  is  there  any  wonder  for  the 
refusal  of  R.  Zadoq,  as  R.  Aqiba  was  greater  in  his  act;  and  to 
him  happened  the  following: 

R.  Aqiba,  while  at  one  time  in  a  certain  country,  was  ca- 
lumniated before  the  Sultan  (and  was  imprisoned).  He  sent  to 
him  two  beautiful  women,  who  were  washed,  anointed,  and 
adorned  as  brides.  They  were  hugging  him  all  night,  each  one 
inviting  him  to  herself.  He,  however,  repulsed  them.  They 
complained  before  the  Sultan,  and  said:  "  Death  is  preferable 
tous  than  to  be  with  that  man."     He  sent  for  him  and  asked: 


64  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

"  Why  hast  thou  not  treated  these  women  as  men  treat  even 
homely  women — are  they  not  human  beings  as  thyself  ?  Hath 
not  thy  Creator  also  created  them  ?"  He  answered:  "  I  could 
not  do  otherwise:  their  odor  seemed  to  me  to  be  that  of  putre- 
fied carcasses." 

And  even  R,  Aqiba  is  not  to  be  admired  for  his  act,  for  R. 
Eliezer  the  Great  exceeded  him  by  the  following  act :  He  brought 
up  his  own  sister's  daughter,  and  for  thirteen  years  slept  with 
her  in  one  bed.  When  she  became  of  marriageable  age,  he  told 
her  to  get  married.  She,  however,  replied:  "Am  I  not  thy 
servant  ?  Use  me  as  a  slave  to  wash  thy  disciples'  feet."  He 
again  told  her:  "  I  am  too  old.  Get  married  to  one  suitable  to 
thy  age."  She  answered:  "  Have  I  not  already  told  thee  I  am 
thy  servant,  and  to  use  me  as  a  slave  to  wash  thy  disciples' 
feet  ?"  When  he  heard  this,  he  proposed  to  her  and  married 
her.] 

Said  R.  Reuben  b.  Aztrobli :  How  difficult  it  is  for  one  to 
avoid  the  evil  propensities  which  are  within  him  from  the  min- 
ute of  his  birth!  As  it  is  written  [Gen.  iv.  7]:  "  Sin  lieth  at  the 
door."  So  we  see  that  a  young  animal  is  always  careful  not  to 
approach  harmful  things,  as  fire  or  a  well,  because  it  has  no  evil 
propensities,  while  a  human  child  must  always  be  guarded  against 
putting  his  hand  into  fire,  and  other  harmful  things,  because  he 
has  a  desire  to  do  those  things,  and  this  is  due  to  the  evil  pro- 
pensities born  with  him. 

Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar:  "  What  are  the  evil  thoughts  to 
be  compared  to  ?  To  a  piece  of  iron  which  is  placed  in  the  fire; 
so  long  as  it  is  there,  various  vessels  can  be  formed  out  of  it. 
The  same  is  the  case  with  evil  thoughts :  there  is  no  other  pre- 
ventive but  the  Torah,  which  is  likened  to  fire.  As  it  is  written 
[Prov.  XXV.  21,  22]:  "  If  thy  enemy  be  hungry,  give  him  bread 
to  eat;  and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink;  for  though 
thou  gatherest  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head,  yet  will  the  Lord  re- 
pay it  unto  thee."     Do  not  read  rp  Q^^^  (repay  unto  thee), 

but  Tj^  □''bt^^^  (make  thee  at  peace). 

Said  R.  Jehudah  the  Prince :  To  the  following  parable  the 
evil  thoughts  can  be  compared:  Two  men  entered  a  hostelry, 
and  one  of  them  was  arrested  for  robbery.  When  asked  for  an 
accomplice  he  said  he  had  one,  although  he  could  easily  have 
denied  it,  yet  he  said  so  in  order  to  implicate  also  his  compan- 
ion and  make  him  share  his  own    fate.     The  same  applies  to 


TRACT   ABOTH.  65 

evil  thoughts:  they  are  not  satisfied  with  their  destruction  of 
the  soul,  they  also  destroy  the  body. 

Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Johai :  From  the  following  is  to  be  de- 
duced that  the  Israelites  will  never  see  Gehenna.  The  following 
parable  can  be  applied  to  this:  A  king  who  had  a  barren  field 
rented  it  to  some  persons  at  a  yearly  rental  of  ten  measures  of 
wheat.  The  land  was  manured,  watered,  and  surrounded  with 
ditches,  and  generally  properly  cared  for.  Still,  at  the  end  of  the 
year  the  lessees  paid  the  king  only  one  measure  of  wheat  in- 
stead of  ten.  When  the  king  asked  tliem  for  an  explanation, 
they  said:  "  Our  lord  and  king,  thou  knowest  well  that  the  land 
was  barren,  and  brought  thee  no  revenue  at  all;  now  even  after 
so  much  of  our  labor  invested,  it  did  not  produce  more  than  this 
measure."  A  similar  plea  will  the  Israelites  make  in  the  future 
before  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He:  "  Lord  of  the  Universe! 
thou  knowest  how  the  evil  thoughts  allure  us."  As  it  is  writ- 
ten [Ps.  ciii.  14]:  "  For  he  knoweth  our  frame"  (and  on  that 
consideration  will  be  forgiven). 

"And  mhanthropy."  This  means:  One  should  not  say: 
Love  the  sages,  but  hate  the  disciples;  or,  Love  the  disciples, 
and  hate  the  common  people;  but.  Love  every  one  except  the 
infidels,  the  enticers,  the  misleaders,  and  the  informers.  So 
also  says  David  [Ps.  cxxxix.  21,  22]:  "  Behold,  those  that  hate 
thee  I  ever  hate,  O  Lord  !  and  for  those  that  rise  up  against  thee 
do  I  feel  loathing.  With  the  utmost  hatred  do  I  hate  them: 
enemies  are  they  become  unto  me." 

It  is  also  written  [Lev.  xix.  18]:  "  But  thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself:  I  am  the  Lord."  Because  I  have  created 
him;  and  if  he  practiseth  what  thy  people  do  thou  shalt  love 
him,  but  not  otherwise. 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said:  The  above  passage  was  said  as  a 
strict  admonition:  If  thou  wilt  love  him,  thou  art  assured  of 
a  good  reward;  otherwise  (remember),  I  am  the  judge  and  I  will 
see  to  it  that  thou  art  punished. 


MiSHNA  vV.  R.Jose:  "  Thy  neighbor's  property  must 
be  as  sacred  as  thine  own.  Set  thyself  to  learn  the  Law, 
for  it  is  not  an  heirloom  unto  thee.  Let  noble  purpose 
underlie  thine  every  action." 

MisHNA  O.   R.  Simeon  :  "  Be  careful  in  reading  the 

5 


66  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Shema,  and  in  prayer  ;  do  not  look  upon  the  prayer  as  an 
obligatory  task,  but  as  a  privilege  granted  by  mercy  and 
grace  before  God,  for  it  is  written  [Joel,  ii.  13]  :  *  For 
gracious  and  merciful  is  he,  long-suffering  and  of  great 
kindness,  and  he  bethinketh  himself  of  the  evil.'  Never 
think  thyself  too  great  a  sinner  to  approach  Him." 

MiSHNA  P.  R.  Elazar:*  "Be  most  zealous  in  the 
pursuit  of  study  ;  be  prepared  always  to  answer  a  scoffer; 
remember  in  whose  service  thou  laborest."  (He  also 
added :)  "  Know  who  is  thy  Master,  that  he  may  be 
trusted  to  recompense  thee  for  thy  work." 

MiSHNA  Q.  R.  Tarphon  was  in  the  habit  of  saying: 
"  The  day  is  short,  the  work  is  great,  the  workmen  are 
slothful,  the  reward  is  rich,  and  the  Master  is  urgent." 

MiSHNA  7?.  He  also  said:  "It  is  not  incumbent  on 
thee  to  complete  the  whole  task,  but  thou  art  not  at  lib- 
erty therefore  to  neglect  it  entirely.  If  thou  hast  learned 
much  Law  thou  wilt  be  given  much  reward  ;  and  faithful 
is  the  Master  of  thy  work,  who  Vv^ill  pay  thee  the  reward  of 
thy  work  ;  and  know  also  that  the  gift  of  the  recompense 
of  the  righteous  is  for  the  world  to  come." 


TosepJUha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

f"  Thy  iieighbors  property  must  be  as  sacred  as  thine."  It 
means  that  one  should  be  as  careful  of  his  friend's  property  as 
he  is  of  his  own ;  and  as  he  is  desirous  that  there  shall  be  no 
slur  cast  on  his  belongings,  so  shall  he  desire  that  there  should 
be  none  on  those  of  his  friend. 

Others  explain  the  above  thus:  When  a  disciple  comes  to 
thee  with  the  request  to  teach  him,  if  thou  art  able  comply  with 
his  request;  otherwise,  dismiss  him  at  once,  and  do  not  accept 
his  money,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  iii.  28]:  "  Say  not  unto  thy 
neighbor.  Go,  and  return,  and  to-morrow  will  I  give,  when  thou 
hast  it  by  thee." 

"  Set  thyself  to  learfi  the  Law."     How  so  ?     When  Moses 

*  The  text  reads  "  Eliezer,"  but  this  must  be  a  misprint,  as  Elazar  was  the  fifth 
of  the  disciples,  each  of  whom  had  three  maxims. 
f  Chapter  XVII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  67 

our  master  saw  that  his  sons  knew  not  enough  of  the  Law  to  be 
able  to  succeed  him,  he  wrapped  himself  up  and  prayed:  Lord 
of  the  Universe!  designate  to  me  the  one  who  should  be  at  the 
head  of  the  people,  as  it  is  written  [Numb,  xxvii.  15-17]:  "  And 
Moses  spake  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  Let  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  appoint  a  man  over  the  congregation,  who 
may  go  out  before  them,  and  who  may  come  in  before  them." 
Said  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He:  "  Moses,  take  Joshua,  ap- 
point an  interpreter  for  him,  and  at  the  head  of  the  great  men 
in  Israel  let  him  lecture  in  thy  presence."  Thereupon  Moses 
said  to  Joshua:  Joshua!  these  people  which  I  deliver  in  your 
care  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  he-goats  or  sheep,  but  as  kids  and 
lambs;  for  they  have  not  as  yet  had  experience  in  the  command- 
ments, and  therefore  cannot  be  considered  as  such.  As  it  is  writ- 
ten [Songs,  i.  8]:  "  If  thou  knowest  this  not,  O  thou  fairest  of 
women !  go  but  forth  in  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  feed  thy 
kids  around  the  shepherds*  dwellings." 

Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  once  went  in  the  market,  and  he 
noticed  a  girl  picking  up  barley  from  under  the  feet  of  the  cattle 
of  the  Arabians.  "  My  daughter,  who  art  thou?"  he  asked 
her,  but  she  made  no  reply.  Again  he  put  the  same  question 
to  her,  but  again  she  was  silent.  Finally  she  said:  "  Wait  a 
little."  She  enveloped  herself  with  her  hair,  stepped  up  to  him, 
and  said:  "  Rabbi,  I  am  the  daughter  of  Nakdimon  b.  Gurion." 
"  And  what  has  become  of  thy  father's  money  ? "  he  asked  her; 
and  she  answered  :  "  Rabbi,  on  him  was  verified  the  saying  which 
was  proverbial  in  Jerusalem:  '  One  who  desires  to  preserve  his 
wealth,  should  lessen  it  (spending  it  in  charities;  but  as  my 
father  did  not  sufficiently  spend  in  charities,  it  all  vanished).'  " 
"  And  what  has  become  of  that  of  thy  father-in-law  ? "  he  again 
interrogated  her;  and  she  answered  :  "  Rabbi,  through  my  father 
also  his  was  lost."  Thereupon  said  Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai 
to  his  disciples:  "Whenever  I  used  to  read  the  passage:  '  If 
thou  knowest  this  not,  O  thou  fairest  of  women !  go  but  forth 
in  the  footsteps  of  the  flocks,'  I  could  not  make  out  what  pun- 
ishment was  contained  therein ;  but  after  what  I  have  seen  to- 
day, I  can  safely  say  that  the  punishment  is  meant  that  Israel 
must  be  under  the  domination  of  the  lowest  nation  of  the 
heathens;  and  not  merely  that,  but  also  must  lie  among  the 
manure  of  their  cattle." 

The  same  girl  then  asked  him  :  "  Rabbi,  dost  thou  recall  that 
thou   hast  signed  thy  name  to  my  marriage  contract?"     He 


68  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

answered:  "I  do";  and  turning  to  his  disciples,  he  continued: 
"  Verily,  I  signed  my  name  to  the  marriage  contract  of  this  girl, 
which  was  for  a  million  Tyrian  dinars.  Her  father's  family 
never  left  their  house  to  enter  the  Temple,  until  a  woollen  cloth 
was  spread  for  them." 

It  happened  that  a  girl  and  her  ten  maids  were  captured,  and 
a  heathen  brought  her  up  in  his  house.  One  day  he  gave  her  a 
pitcher  and  told  her  to  bring  him  some  water.  One  of  her  maids 
got  up  and  took  it  from  her.  "  Why  hast  thou  done  this?" 
he  inquired  of  her;  and  she  answered:  "  Master,  I  swear  by 
thy  life  that  I  am  one  of  five  hundred  maids  belonging  to  her 
mother."  When  he  heard  this,  he  liberated  the  girl  and  her  ten 
maids. 

The  following  happened  to  another  young  girl  who  was  cap- 
tured and  brought  up  in  the  house  of  a  heathen.  One  night  he 
had  a  dream,  in  which  he  was  commanded  to  send  her  away. 
His  wife,  however,  prevented  him  from  doing  so.  Again  he  had 
a  dream,  in  which  he  was  told  that  if  he  would  not  send  away 
the  girl  he  would  die.  He  did  so,  but  desiring  to  know  what 
became  of  her,  he  followed  her.  She  kept  on  walking  until  she 
became  thirsty.  She  went  down  to  a  spring  to  drink,  and  plac- 
ing her  hand  upon  the  wall,  she  was  bitten  by  a  snake  and  died. 
She  floated  upon  the  water  until  he  went  down,  took  her  out, 
and  buried  her.  When  he  returned  home,  he  said  to  his  wife: 
"  The  people  to  which  this  girl  belonged  is  punished  by  no  other 
but  their  Father  in  heaven." 

"  Let  noble  purpose  underlie  their  every  action.'''  It  means, 
for  the  sake  of  the  Torah,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  iii.  6]:  "In 
all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him,  and  he  will  make  level  thy 
paths." 

Said  R.  Simeon:  Be  punctual  in  the  reading  of  Shema,  and 
in  prayer;  and  when  thou  prayest,  let  it  not  be  as  a  conversa- 
tion, but  supplication  before  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  as 
it  is  written  [Jonah,  iv.  2] :  "  That  thou  art  a  gracious  God,  and 
merciful,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  kindness,  and  repen- 
tant of  the  evil." 

Said  R.  Elazar  (see  Mishna,  and  in  addition  he  said):  "  Noth- 
ing of  the  Torah  shall  be  forgotten  by  thee.     Know  for  whom 
thy  exertion  is  and  with  whom  thou  hast  made  a  covenant;  and. 
who  is  thy  master,  who  is  surely  to  be  trusted  that  he  will  recom- 
pense thee  for  thy  work." 


TRACT   ABOTH.  69 

TosephtJia—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*(As  Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  used  to  recount  the  praise 
of  his  disciples),  so  was  R.  Jehudah  the  Nassi  recounted  of  the 
following  sages:  R.  Tarphon,  R.  Aqiba,  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah, 
R.  Johanan  b.  Nuri,  and  R.  Jose  the  Galilean. 

He  called  R.  Tarphon  "  a  pile  of  stones";  others  say,  "  a 
pile  of  nuts,"  which,  should  one  be  taken  away,  the  whole  pile 
is  stirred  and  there  is  a  rolling  of  nuts  one  upon  the  other.  So 
it  was  with  R.  Tarphon,  when  a  disciple  came  to  him  and  said: 
"  Teach  mc,"  he  taught  him  the  Scriptures,  Mishna,  Midrash, 
Halakhoth,  and  Agadoth ;  and  when  he  left  him,  he  was  full  of 
the  blessing  of  the  Torah. 

He  called  R.  Aqiba  "  a  sealed  treasure,"  and  compared  him 
to  a  workman  who,  taking  his  basket,  goes  outside,  and  what- 
ever he  may  chance  to  find  he  puts  into  it.  However,  when  he 
returns  honie,  he  assorts  every  article.  So  has  R.  Aqiba  done 
(when  he  was  studying),  and  made  rules  to  the  Torah  to  be  easily 
comprehended,  as  rings  are  made  to  vessels  to  make  it  easy  to 
take  a  hold  of  them. 

He  called  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  "  a  huckster's  basket,"  and 
compared  him  to  a  huckster  who,  taking  his  basket,  goes  about 
the  country,  and  the  people  come  flocking  around  him  inquiring 
for  various  articles,  and  find  that  he  has  everything.  So  it  was 
with  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah,  when  a  disciple  came  to  him,  he 
taught  him  everything  that  he  desired;  and  when  he  left  him, 
he  was  full  of  the  blessings  of  the  Torah. 

He  called  R.  Jose  the  Galilean  "  a  gatherer  of  good  things 
with  no  pride  about  him,"  who  collected  the  good  manners  of 
all  the  sages  and  the  Mishnaioth  that  all  the  sages  have  taught. 

When  R.  Jehoshua  became  of  old  age,  etc.  (See  Section 
Moed,  Vol.  VI.,  Tract  Hagiga,  pp.  3  and  4:  "  It  happened  that 
R.  Johanan  b.  Broka,"  etc.,  till  paragraph  beginning  with  "  It 
happened  once.") 

Issi  b.  Jehudah  gave  the  sages  names.  To  R.  Meir  he  gave 
the  name  of  "  sage  and  scribe  "  ;  to  R.  Jehudah,  "  a  sage  when 
he  desires  to  be";  to  R.  Elazar  b.  Jacob,  "  a  small  vessel  (not 
of  much  knowledge),  but  veiy  clear";  to  R.  Jose,  "  a  man  of 
good  reasoning  in  the  science  of  the  Law";  to  R.  Johanan  b. 
Nuri,  "  a  basket  of  a  peddler  containing  a  variety  of  every- 


Chapter  XVIII.  of  the  original. 


70  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

thing"  ;  to  R.  Jose  the  Galilean,  "  a  gatherer  of  the  very  best 
things,  with  no  pride  about  him";  to  R.  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel, 
"  a  vault  full  of  the  best  purple  dye";  to  R.  Simeon,  "  learns 
much  and  forgets  little." 

When,  later  on,  R.  Simeon  met  Issi  b.  Jehudah,  he  asked 
him:  "  Why  hast  thou  attacked  me  before  the  scholars  ?  "  And 
he  answered:  "  I  have  said  only  that  thou  learnest  much  and 
forgettest  little,  and  even  that  little  is  of  no  importance." 


CHAPTER   III. 

MiSHNA  A.  Aqabiab.  Mahalallel  used  to  say:  "Con- 
sider three  things,  and  thou  wilt  not  fall  into  transgres- 
sion :  know  whence  thou  comest,  whither  thou  art  going, 
and  before  whom  thou  art  about  to  give  account  and 
reckoning  ;  know  whence  thou  comest — from  a  fetid  drop, 
and  whither  thou  art  going— to  worm  and  maggot ;  and 
before  whom  thou  art  about  to  give  account  and  reckon- 
ing :  before  the  King  of  the  kings  of  kings,  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He." 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  Said  Aqahia  b.  Mahalallel,  whoever  takes  to  his  heart  the 
following  four  things  will  never  sin'':  Whence  he  comes; 
whither  he  goes;  what  will  become  of  him;  and  who  is  his 
judge.  Whence  he  comes?  from  a  dark  place!  Whither  he 
goes?  to  a  dark  place!  What  will  become  of  him  ?  dust  and 
worms !  And  who  is  his  judge  ?  the  King  of  the  kings  of  kings, 
the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He! 

Said  R.  Simeon:  He  comes  from  a  dark  place  and  returns 
thither;  he  springs  from  a  fetid  drop,  from  a  place  which  no  eye 
can  behold,  and  finally  becomes  dust  and  worms,  as  it  is  written 
[Job,  XXV.  6]:  "  How  much  less  the  mortal,  the  mere  worm  ? 
and  the  son  of  earth,  the  mere  maggot  ? " 

Said  R.  Elazar  b.  Jacob:  He  is  a  worm  while  living,  and  a 
maggot  when  dead.  What  is  meant  by  "  a  worm  while  living  "  ? 
the  vermin  that  infest  him ;  "  and  a  maggot  when  dead  "  applies 
to  those  that  arc  bred  from  him  after  his  death. 

Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar:  To  what  can  this  be  compared  ? 
To  a  king  who  built  a  magnificent  palace,  in  which  he  dwelt, 
and  a  tanner's  ditch  passed  in  front  of  its  entrance.     Whoever 

*  Chapter  XIX.  of  the  original.  The  phraseology  of  these  sentences  is  a  little 
different  in  the  Mishna. 


72  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

passed  by  said:  "  How  beautiful  and  how  glorious  this  palace 
would  have  been,  if  this  tanner's  ditch  had  not  passed  in  front  of 
its  entrances."  Soisman.  If  now,  when  from  his  entrails  issues 
forth  a  rancid  stream,  he  is  so  proud  and  haughty,  had  a  stream 
of  sweet-smelling  water  or  oil  issued  from  him,  how  much  the 
more  proud  and  haughty  would  he  have  been. 

When  R.  Eliezer  fell  ill,  his  disciples  came  to  visit  him. 
They  sat  before  him  and  said:  "  Our  master,  teach  us  the  best 
of  all  the  things  you  taught  us."  He  said  :  "  Be  careful  of  your 
friend's  honor;  and  when  you  pray,  know  before  whom  you  are 
standing,  and  through  this  you  will  be  rewarded  with  life  in  the 
world  to  come." 

MiSHNA  B.  R.  Hanlnah,  the  Segan  of  the  high-priest, 
said :  "  Pra}''  always  for  the  welfare  of  the  government ; 
were  it  not  for  the  fear  of  it,  men  would  swallov/  each 
other  alive."  R.  Haninah  b.  Phradyon  said:  "Two  that 
sit  together  and  do  not  discuss  any  portion  of  the  Law, 
their  sitting  is  considered  that  of  scorners,  as  it  is  written 
[Ps.  i.  i]  :  'And  sitteth  not  in  the  seat  of  scorners'  ;  but 
two  that  sit  together  and  are  discussing  some  words  of 
the  Law  have  the  Shekhina  among  them,  as  it  is  written 
[Mai.  iii.  i6]  :  'Then  conversed  they  that  feared  the 
Lord  one  with  the  other;  and  the  Lord  listened  and 
heard  it,'  etc." 

This  is  as  to  two.  Whence  Is  it  deduced  of  even  one 
who  occupies  himself  with  the  study  of  the  Law,  that  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  fixes  his  reward?  It  is  writ- 
ten [Sam.  HI.  28]  :  "  That  he  sit  in  solitude  and  be  silent ; 
because  He  hath  laid  It  upon  him." 

Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  Said  R.  Hananiah  the  Segan :  Whoever  takes  the  words  of 
the  Torah  to  his  heart,  all  thoughts  of  the  sword  and  hunger,  of 
foolishness  and  fornication,  evil  thoughts  in  general  and  thoughts 
of  adultery,  thoughts  of  nonsense  and  thoughts  of  human  cares, 
are  destroyed  for  him,  for  so  it  is  written  in  David's  Psalms 

*  Chapter  XX.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  73 

[xix.  9]:  "  The  precepts  of  the  Lord  are  upright,  rejoicing  the 
heart:  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  clear,  enlightening  the 
eyes."  But  one  that  docs  not  take  to  heart  the  words  of  the 
Torah,  to  him  the  reverse  comes,  as  Moses  wrote  in  his  Deuter- 
onomy [xxviii.  46-48]:  "  And  they  shall  remain  on  thee  for  a 
sign  and  for  a  token,  and  on  thy  seed  for  ever.  For  the  reason 
that  thou  didst  not  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  joyfulness,  and 
with  gladness  of  heart,  while  there  was  an  abundance  of  all 
things;  therefore  shalt  thou  serve  thy  enemies  whom  the  Lord 
will  send  out  against  thee,  in  hunger,  and  in  thirst,  and  in 
nakedness,  and  in  want  of  everything." 

Since  it  says:  "  Li  hunger,"  what  is  meant  by  it  ?  At  the 
time  when  one  has  not  even  a  piece  of  barley-bread,  his  enemies 
demand  of  him  wheat  bread  and  fat  meat.  And  what  is  meant 
by  the  words:  "  And  in  thirst"  ?  At  the  time  when  one  has 
not  even  a  drop  of  vinegar,  or  beer,  his  enemies  demand  of  him 
the  best  wine  of  the  land.  And  what  is  meant  by  the  words: 
"And  in  nakedness"  ?  When  one  has  not  even  a  woollen  or 
linen  shirt,  his  enemies  demand  of  him  silken  ones,  the  best  of 
all  lands.  The  words,  "  And  in  want  of  everything,"  mean  that 
he  will  be  without  a  light,  knife,  and  table.  Others  says:  With- 
out vinegar  and  salt.  This  corresponds  with  the  manner  in 
which  people  curse  when  they  say:  "  May  there  be  no  vinegar 
nor  salt  in  thy  house!  " 

He  used  to  say  the  words:  "  Look  not  so  at  me,  because  I 
am  somewhat  black,  because  the  sun  hath  looked  fiercely  at 
me"  [Song  of  Songs,  i.  6],  refer  to  the  counsellors  of  Judah, 
who  relieved  themselves  of  the  yoke  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  and  chose  a  human  king  to  reign  over  them. 

"  My  mother's  children  were  angry  with  me"  [ibid.]  refers 
to  Moses,  who  slew  the  Egyptian,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  ii.  il, 
12]:  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  when  Moses  was 
grown  up,  that  he  went  out  unto  his  brethren,  and  looked  on 
their  burdensome  labors.  .  .  .  And  he  looked  this  way  and 
that  way,  and  when  he  saw  that  there  was  no  one  by."  What 
is  meant  by  "  and  when  he  saw  that  there  was  no  one  by  "  ? 
Infer  from  this,  that  Moses  inquired  of  the  deliberating  groups 
of  angels,  whether  he  should  slay  him  (the  Egyptian).  They 
told  him  to  do  so,  and  he  did  it,  not  with  a  sword,  but  by  a 
word,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  14]:  "  Sayest  (intendest)  thou 
to  kill  me,  as  thou  hast  killed  the  Egyptian  ?"  From  this  can 
be  learned  that  he  killed  him  by  the  Holy  Name. 


74  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Others  say  that  the  passage:  "  My  mother's  children  were 
angry  with  me,"  refers  to  Moses,  who  fled  to  Midian,  as  it  is 
written  [Ex.  ii.  15-17]:  "And  Pharaoh  heard  this  thing,  and 
he  sought  to  slay  Moses;  but  Moses  fled  from  the  face  of  Pha- 
raoh, and  tarried  in  the  land  of  Midian,  and  he  sat  down  by  a 
well.  .  .  .  And  the  shepherds  came  and  drove  them  away, 
but  Moses  arose  and  helped  them  and  watered  their  flocks." 
Moses  constituted  himself  as  judge,  and  said:  "  It  is  usual  for 
the  males  to  draw  the  water  and  for  the  females  to  water  the 
flocks,  and  here  I  see  the  reverse.  There  is  in  this  place  much 
perversion," 

There  are  others  who  say  that  as  long  as  Moses  stood  by  the 
well,  the  water  surged  and  came  toward  him,  but  when  he  left, 
the  water  also  receded.  At  the  same  time,  he  said:  "  Woe  to 
me,  that  I  have  left  my  people  and  come  to  dwell  among 
heathens." 

Another  explanation  of  the  above  passage  is,  that  it  refers 
to  the  Israelites  who  made  the  golden  calf,  for  although  at  first 
they  said  [Ex.  xxiv.  7]:  "AH  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  will 
we  do  and  obey,"  nevertheless  they  soon  afterward  exclaimed: 
"  These  are  thy  gods,  O  Israel  "  [Ex.  xxxii.  4]. 

Still  others  say  that  the  above  passage  refers  to  the  spies  who 
brought  and  spread  an  evil  report  about  the  land,  and  caused 
that  carcasses  of  Israelites  fell  in  the  desert,  as  it  is  written 
[Numb.  xiv.  29]:  "  In  this  wilderness  shall  your  carcasses  fall." 

"  They  appointed  me  to  be  keeper  of  the  vineyards  "  [Song 
of  Songs,  i.  6].  Said  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He:  Who  has 
caused  me  to  shower  kindness  upon  the  heathens,  but  Israel 
himself  ?  For  when  the  heathens  live  in  prosperity  they  are 
pushed,  cursed,  and  persecuted. 

Others  say  that  the  above  passage  refers  to  the  Israelites 
who  were  exiled  in  Babylon,  and  the  prophets  who  were  then 
among  them  told  them  to  observe  the  laws  of  offerings  and 
tithes.  They,  however,  answered:  "We  were  exiled  because 
we  refused  to  observe  those  laws,  and  you  wish  us  to  observe 
them  now  ? " 


MiSHNA  C.  R.  Simeon  said  :  "  Three  that  have  eaten 
at  our  table,  and  have  not  blessed  the  Lord  for  His  kind- 
ness, are  as  if  they  have  eaten  of  the  sacrifices  of  the  dead, 
as  it  is  written  [Is.  xxviii.  8]  :  '  For  all  tables  are  full  of 


TRACT   ABOTH.  75 

vomit  of  filthiness,  there  is  no  place  (clean).'  But  three 
that  have  blessed  the  Lord  when  eating  at  our  table,  are 
as  if  they  had  eaten  of  the  table  of  the  Omnipotent,  as  it 
is  written  [Ezek.  xli.  22]  :  'And  he  spoke  unto  me:  This 
is  the  table  that  is  before  the  Lord.' " 

MisiiNA  D.  R.  Hanina  b.  'Hakhinai  used  to  say  : 
"  He  who  awakens  by  night,  and  he  who  is  walking  alone 
on  the  road  and  turns  aside  his  heart  to  idleness,  it  is  his 
own  fault  if  he  incurs  trouble  for  himself." 

MiSHNA  E,  R.  Nehunia  b.  Haqanah  said  :  "  Whoso 
receives  upon  him  the  yoke  of  the  Law  {i.e.,  one  who 
devotes  himself  wholly  to  study),  the  community  removes 
from  him  the  yoke  of  the  government  and  the  yoke  of 
worldly  cares ;  but  a  student  who  breaks  from  him  the 
yoke  of  the  Law,  the  community  lays  upon  him  the  yoke 
of  the  government  and  the  yoke  of  worldly  cares." 

MiSHNA  F.  R.  'Halaphtha  of  the  village  of  Hananiah 
said  :  "  When  ten  sit  and  are  occupied  in  words  of  Law 
the  Shekhina  is  among  them,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  Ixxxii.i]  : 
'God  standeth  in  the  Congregation  of  God.'  And  whence 
is  it  proved  of  even  five  ?  It  is  written  [Amos,  ix.  6]  : 
'  And  hath  founded  his  btindle  *  on  the  earth '  (and  a 
bundle  is  at  least  of  five).  And  whence  even  three  ?  It  is 
written  [Ps.  Ixxxii.  i]  :  '  In  the  midst  of  judges  doth  he 
judge '  (and  the  number  of  judges  is  generally  three). 
And  whence  even  two  ?  It  is  written  [Mai.  iii.  16]  : 
•  Then  they  that  favored  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to 
another.'  (The  least  number  of  persons  who  can  speak 
to  each  other  is  two.)  And  whence  even  one  ?  It  is 
written  [Ex.  xx.  24  (21)  ]  :  'In  every  place  where  I  shall 
permit  my  name  to  be  mentioned,  I  will  come  unto  thee 
and  will  bless  theel  " 

MisiiXA  G.  R.  Eliczer  of  Bartota  said  :  "  Render  unto 
God  what  belongs  to  Him,  for  thou  and  all  thou  hast  are 
His,  as  David  said  [I  Cliron.  xxix.  14]  :  '  For  all  things 
come  from  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  thee.'" 

*  Lceser  translates  it  *'  vault,"  but  the  Talmud  translates  it  literally. 


76  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

MiSHNA  H.  R.  Jacob  said  :  "  One  who  walks  by  the 
way  and  learns,  and  breaks  off  his  study  and  says,  '  How 
beautiful  is  this  tree!'  and,  'How  fine  is  this  furrow 
field  ! '  is  endancjeringf  his  own  life." 

MisiiNA  /  R.  Dosithai  b.  R.  Janai  said  in  the  name  of 
R.  Meir:  "  When  a  scholar  of  the  sages  sits  and  studies, 
and  subsequently  forgets  what  he  studied,  Scripture  likens 
him  to  one  who  endangers  his  own  life,  as  it  is  written 
[Deut.  iv.  9]  :  '  Only  take  heed  to  thyself,  and  guard  thy 
soul  diligently,  that  thou  do  not  forget  the  things  which  thy 
eyes  have  seen  and  that  they  depart  not  from  thy  heart 
all  the  days  of  thy  life,' etc.  It  might  be  thought  that  he 
is  culpable  of  forgetting  even  when  his  study  had  grown 
hard  to  him,  therefore  it  is  written  [Deut.  iv.  19]  :  'And 
they  depart  not  from  thy  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life,' 
from  which  it  is  to  be  inferred  that  he  is  not  guilty  unless 
he  intentionally  leads  such  a  life  as  to  forget  them. 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  R.  Hanina  b.  Dosa  said  :  Whomsoever  fear  of  sin  precedes, 
his  wisdom  prevails,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxi.  10]:  "  The  begin- 
ning of  wisdom  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord." 

"  He  also  used  to  say :  '  Whosesoever  deeds  exceed,'  "  etc.,  as  it 
is  written  [Ex.  xxiv.]  :  "  We  will  do  and  obey."  It  was  asked 
of  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai:  "  What  praise  is  to  be  applied  to  one 
who  is  wise  and  sin-fearing?"  He  answered:  "A  mechanic 
who  has  his  tools  with  him,"  "  And  what  praise  is  to  be  ap- 
plied to  the  one  who  is  only  wise,  but  not  sin-fearing  ?"  And 
he  answered:  "  He  is  a  mechanic  who  has  no  tools."  He  was 
asked  again  as  to  what  praise  is  to  be  applied  to  the  one  who  is 
sm-fearing  but  lacks  wisdom,  and  he  answered:  "  No  mechanic 
but  has  tools." 

"  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  said:  *  If  there  is  no  Law,'''  etc. 
He  used  to  say:  One  who  is  possessed  of  good  deeds  and  who 
has  studied  much  law,  to  what  is  he  to  be  compared  ?  unto  a  tree 
that  is  planted  by  waters,  whose  branches  are  few  but  whose 
roots  are  many,  and  which  can  withstand  the  severest  storm,  as 

*  Chapter  XXII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  77 

it  is  written  [Ps.  i.  3] :  "  And  he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by- 
rivulets  of  water,"  etc.  One  who  lacks  good  deeds  but  who  has 
studied  law,  to  what  is  he  to  be  compared  ?  to  a  tree  planted  in 
the  desert  wiiose  branches  are  many  and  his  roots  few,  which  is 
easily  uprooted  by  any  wind,  as  it  is  written  [Jer.  xvii.  6] :  "  He 
shall  be  like  a  lonely  tree  in  the  desert." 

"  R.  Gamaliel  said:  ^  Set  a  teacher,'"  etc.  A  teacher  for 
wisdom  and  a  companion  to  study  with,  and  be  quit  of  doubt 
and  do  not  tithe  much  by  estimation. 

Simeon  his  son  used  to  say:  All  my  days  I  spent  among  the 
sages,  and  I  found  silence  to  be  the  most  advisable  thing,  and 
that  not  discussion  but  practice  is  the  principal  thing;  and  if 
silence  is  advisable  for  intelligent  persons,  so  much  the  more  for 
fools.  Wisdom  does  not  bring  to  much  talk,  nor  does  much 
talk  bring  to  wisdom ;  the  main  thing  is  practice.  Whosoever 
talks  much  causes  sin,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  x.  19]  :  "  In  a  mul- 
titude of  words  transgression  cannot  be  avoided  "  ;  and  it  is  also 
written  [ibid.  xvii.  28]:  "  Even  a  fool,  when  he  keepeth  silence, 
is  counted  wise."  R.  Simeon  b.  Eliezer  said:  "  He  who  studies 
the  law  and  is  sin-fearing  is  like  a  physician  who  is  consulted 
about  a  wound  and  who  has  his  instruments  and  drugs  with 
him;  but  one  who  studies  tp.e  Law  and  is  not  sin-fearing  is  like 
a  physician  who,  when  consul  lied  about  a  wound,  has  the  instru- 
ments to  operate  with  but  has  no  drugs  to  heal  tHe  wound  up." 


MisiiNA  J.  R.  Hanina  b.  Dosa  said :  "  He  in  whom 
fear  of  sin  precedes  his  wisdom,  (may  be  sure  that)  his 
wisdom  will  endure  ;  and  he  in  whom  wisdom  precedes  his 
fear  of  sin,  (may  be  sure  that)  his  wisdom  will  not  endure." 

He  also  used  to  say  :  "He  whose  works  are  in  excess 
of  his  wisdom,  (it  is  certain  that)  his  wisdom  will  endure  ; 
and  he  whose  wisdom  is  in  excess  of  his  works,  (it  is  certain 
that)  his  wisdom  will  not  endure." 

He  also  said  :  "  He  who  has  earned  man's  esteem  and 
love,  will  also  receive  the  favor  of  Heaven  ;  but  he  who 
is  not  worthy  of  such  esteem,  cannot  expect  to  find  favor 
with  God." 

MiSHNA  K.  R.  Dosa  b.  Horkhinas  said:  "Sleeping 
away  the  morning,  carousing  at  noonday,  childish  trifling,. 


78  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

and  the  company  of  the  vulgar  waste  a  man's  life 
away." 

MiSHNA  L.  R.  Elazar  the  Modal  said  :  "  He  that  pro- 
fanes things  sacred  and  contemns  the  festivals  ;  he  who 
causes  his  neighbor  to  blush  in  public,  and  annuls  the 
covenant  of  Abraham  our  father,  and  acts  barefacedly 
against  the  Torah,*  even  though  he  is  possessed  of  Torah 
and  good  deeds,  he  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come." 

MiSHNA  M.  R.  Ishmael  said  :  "  Be  pliant  with  thy 
chief  (although  he  is  not  deserving)  and  yielding  to  the 
impressment,  f  and  receive  every  man  with  cheerfulness." 

MiSHNA  A^.  R.  Aqiba  said  :  **  Mockery  and  frivolity 
are  the  forerunners  of  immorality.  Tradition  is  the 
rampart  about  the  Law  ;  tithes  (charity)  are  the  rampart 
of  wealth  ;  good  resolutions  are  the  preservative  of  ab- 
stinence ;  and  the  safeguard  of  wisdom  is — silence." 

MisiiNA  O.  He  used  to  say  :  "  Beloved  is  man,  that 
he  was  created  in  His  image,  and,  moreover,  that  he  was 
notified  that  he  was  so  created,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  ix.  6]  : 
'  For  in  the  image  of  God  made  he  man.' " 

MiSHNA  P.  *'  Beloved  are  Israel,  that  they  are  called 
children  of  God  ;  moreover,  that  it  was  made  known  to 
them  that  they  are  so  called,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xiv.  i]  : 
'  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  Lord  your  God.' " 

MiSHNA  Q.  "  Beloved  are  Israel,  that  there  was  given 
to  them  a  precious  article ;  moreover,  that  it  was  made 
known  to  them  that  there  was  given  to  them  the  precious 
article  "  [as  it  is  stated  elsewhere  that  with  this  the  world 
was  created,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  iv.  2]  :  "  For  good 
information  do  I  give  you  ;  my  teaching  must  ye  not 
forsake  "]. 

MiSHNA  7?.  "  Everything  is  foreseen  and  free-will  is 
given.     And  the  world  is  judged  by  grace  ;  and  every  one 


*  This  is  according  to  Maimonides  ;  Rashi,  however,  says  it  means  ;  one  who  says 
that  Moses  wrote  in  the  Pentateuch  ridiculous  things,  as,  for  instance,  that  Thimna 
was  the  concubine  of  Eliphaz  [Gen.  xxxvi,  12]. 

f  Maimonides  explains  it  otherwise. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  79 

is  judged  according  to  the  majority  of  his  deeds"  (/>.,  if 
one  has  done  more  good  than  evil,  he  is  judged  more 
favorably — Rashi). 

MiSHNA  S.  He  (Aqiba)  used  to  say :  "  All  that  we 
possess  is  merely  a  trust,  and  over  all  life  a  net  is  spread 
out.  The  storehouse  is  open,  the  proprietor  sells  on  credit ; 
the  ledger  lies  ready  and  the  purchaser's  hand  makes  the 
entry ;  whoever  wishes  may  come  and  borrow.,  but  the 
collectors  are  continually  going  the  rounds  of  the  debtors, 
and  obtain  payment  from  them  voluntarily  or  involun- 
tarily ;  they  know  whereupon  they  base  their  claims,  and 
their  court  is  a  tribunal  of  justice,  and  everything  is  pre- 
pared for  the  banquet  "  (i.e.,  even  the  wicked  have  a  share 
in  the  world  to  come — Rashi). 

MisiiNA  T.  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  was  wont  to  say : 
"  Without  knowledo^e  of  relio:ion  there  can  be  no  true 
culture,  and  without  true  culture  there  is  no  knowledge  of 
religion.  Where  there  is  no  wisdom,  there  is  no  fear  of 
God ;  and  without  fear  of  God  there  is  no  wisdom. 
Without  learning  there  can  be  no  counsel,  and  without 
counsel  there  will  be  lack  of  learning.  Where  there  is  a 
dearth  of  bread,  culture  cannot  thrive,  and  lack  of  culture 
causes  dearth  of  bread." 

MisHNA  [/.  He  also  used  to  say  :  "  With  what  is  he  to 
be  compared,  who  can  boast  of  more  learning  than  char- 
itable deeds  ?  With  a  tree  of  many  branches  and  but  few 
roots — there  comes  a  storm  that  uproots  and  prostrates 
it,  as  it  is  written  [Jer.  xvii.  6]  :  '  And  he  shall  be  like  a 
lonely  tree  in  the  desert,  which  feeleth  not  when  the  good 
Cometh  ;  but  abideth  in  the  parched  places  in  the  wilder- 
ness, in  a  salty  land  which  cannot  be  inhabited.  '  But 
what  does  he  resemble,  who  can  show  more  deeds  than 
learning?  A  tree  of  few  branches  and  many  roots:  all 
the  storms  and  winds  may  bear  down  and  rage  upon  it, 
they  cannot  move  it  from  its  place.  As  it  is  written  [Jer. 
xvii.  8]  :  *  And  he  shall  be  like  a  tree  that  is  planted  by 
the  waters,  and  by  a  stream  spreadeth  out  its  roots,  which 


8o  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

feeleth  not  when  heat  cometh,  but  its  leaf  remaineth  green, 
and  in  a  year  of  drought  it  is  undisturbed  by  care,  and 
ceaseth  not  from  yielding  fruit'  " 

MisHNA  V.  R.  Elazar  b.  'Hasma  said  :  "  '  Qinim  '  * 
and  '  Pitteche  Niddah  '  f  are  essentials  of  Torah  ;  canons 
of  astronomy  and  geometry  are  after-courses  of  wisdom." 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

%"  Sleeping  away  the  morning."  It  means:  One  shall  not 
wilfully  sleep  till  past  the  hour  of  reading  the  Shema,  for  by  so 
doing  he  neglects  the  Law,  as  it  is  written  [Prov,  xxvi.  13]: 
"  As  a  door  turneth  upon  its  hinges,  so  doth  the  slothful  upon 
his  bed.  The  slothful  saith,  There  is  a  leopard  in  the  way:  a 
lion  is  between  the  streets." 

"  Carousing  at  noonday''  means:  One  should  not  make  a 
practice  of  drinking  wine  at  midday,  for  by  so  doing  he  is  pre- 
vented from  observing  the  Law,  as  it  is  written  [Eccl.  x.  16] : 
"  Woe  to  thee,  O  land!  when  thy  king  is  low-minded,  and  when 
thy  princes  eat  in  the  morning."  Also:  "  Happy  art  thou, 
O  land,  when  thy  king  is  noble-spirited,  and  thy  princes  eat  in 
proper  time."  When  is  the  proper  time?  Say,  then,  in  the 
world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  Ix.  22]:  "I  the  Lord  will 
hasten  it  in  its  time";  also:  "  At  the  proper  time  shall  it  be 
said  to  Jacob  and  to  Israel,"  etc.  [Numb,  xxiii.  23].  Said  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  to  Balaam :  ''  At  the  time,  but  not  in 
the  time;  not  in  your  time,  but  at  the  time  when  I  will  redeem 
Israel." 

"  Childish  trifling.''  By  this  is  meant,  that  one  should  not 
make  a  practice  of  talking  to  his  wife,  sons,  or  daughters  when 
he  is  studying  at  home;  for  by  so  doing  he  neglects  the  Torah, 
as  it  is  written  [Josh.  i.  8]:  "  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not 
depart  out  of  thy  mouth;  but  thou  shalt  meditate  therein,  day 
and  night." 

"  The  coinpany  of  the  vulgar  "  means:  One  should  not  lounge 
with  idlers  in  the  market,  lest  he  neglect  the  Torah,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Ps.  i.  I,  2]:  "  Happy  is  the  man  who  walketh  not  in  the 


*  The  young  doves  sacrificed  by  a  woman  after  confinement, 
f  The  three  kinds  of  blood  of  menses,  which  are  difficult  to  be  distinguished  from 
each  other. 

\  Chapter  XXI.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  8i 

counsel  of  the  wicked  .  ,  .  and  sitteth  not  in  the  way  of 
scorners ;  but  whose  delight  is  the  law  of  the  Lord."  Said  R. 
Meir:  For  what  purpose  is  it  said:  "  And  sitteth  not  in  the  way 
of  scorners  "  ?  Say,  then,  it  refers  to  the  assembly  halls  of  the 
scoffers,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xxvi.  5] :  "I  have  hated  the  assem- 
blage of  evil-doers;  and  with  the  wicked  will  I  not  sit  "  ;  and  it 
is  also  written  [Mai.  iii.  19]:  "  For,  behold,  the  day  is  coming, 
which  shall  burn  as  an  oven,  and  all  the  presumptuous,  yea, 
and  all  who  practise  wickedness,  shall  be  stubble";  and  "  pre- 
sumptuous" are  scoffers,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxi.  24]:  "  The 
presumptuous  and  proud,  scorner  is  his  name." 

Once  it  happened  that  R.  Aqiba,  while  sitting  and  teaching 
his  disciples,  was  reminded  of  the  way  he  spent  his  younger 
days.  He  said:  "  I  thank  thee.  Lord  my  God,  that  thou  hast 
placed  me  among  the  studious,  and  not  among  the  idlers  in  the 
markets." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

MisHNA  A.  Ben  Zoma  was  in  the  habit  of  saying : 
**  Who  Is  a  wise  man  ?  He  who  learns  from  everybody, 
as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxix.  99]  :  '  Above  all  my  teachers 
have  I  obtained  intelligence  ! '  Who  is  a  hero  ?  He  who 
conquers  his  passions,  as  it  is  written  [Pro v.  xvi.  32]  : 
'One  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  a  hero  ;  and  he 
that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  the  conqueror  of  a  city.'  Who 
is  a  rich  man  ?  He  who  is  satisfied  with  his  lot,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  cxxviii.  2]  :  *  For  thou  eatest  the  labor  of  thy 
hands  :  then  wilt  thou  be  happy,  and  it  shall  be  well  with 
thee.'  '  Wilt  thou  be  happy'  in  this  world,  'it  shall  be 
well  with  thee '  in  the  world  to  come.  Who  is  honored  ? 
He  who  honors  his  fellowmen,  as  it  is  written  [I  Samuel 
il.  30]  :  "  For  those  that  honor  me  will  I  honor,  and  those 
that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed.' " 

MiSHNA  B.  Ben  Azai  was  In  the  habit  of  saying : 
"  Hasten  to  fulfil  the  commandment  of  little  importance 
as  if  it  were  of  much  importance,  and  flee  from  all  man- 
ner of  sin,  for  the  fulfilment  of  one  precept  brings  about 
that  of  another,  and  one  transgression  brings  about  an- 
other ;  for  the  reward  of  virtue  is  virtue  itself,  and  the 
reward  of  sin  is  sin."  He  likewise  said  :  "  Despise  no 
man,  and  consider  nothing  as  too  far  removed  to  come  to 
pass ;  for  there  is  no  man  but  hath  his  day,  and  no  event 
that  may  not  come." 

MiSHNA  C.  R.  Levitas  of  Jabneh  said  :  "  Be  exceed- 
ingly lowly  of  spirit,  for  the  hope  of  man  is  the  worm." 
"  R.  Johanan  b.  Baroquah  said  :  "  Whoso  profanes  the 
name   of    Heaven    in    secret,  they   punish    him    openly. 


TRACT  ABOTH.  83 

Error,  like  design,  is  punishable  as  to  the  profanation  of 
His  name." 

MisiiNA  D.  R.  Ishmael  said  :  "  He  that  learns  in  order 
to  teach,  they  grant  him  the  faculty  to  learn  and  to  teach  ; 
he  that  learns  in  order  to  practise,  they  grant  him  the 
faculty  to  learn,  to  teach,  to  preserve,  and  to  practise." 

MisHNA  E.  R.  Zadoq  was  in  the  habit  of  saying  : 
''  Wear  not  the  law  of  God  as  a  crown  to  exalt  thyself 
withal,  nor  use  it  as  a  spade  to  dig  therewith  (for 
wealth)."  [And  thus  was  Hillel  wont  to  say  :  "And  he 
who  serves  himself  with  the  tiara  perishes."]  Thus  thou 
art  to  learn  that  he  who  makes  use  of  his  learning  in  the 
Law  to  further  his  own  selfish  ends  loses  all  merit. 

MisiiNA  F.  R.  Jose  said  :  "  Whosoever  honors  the 
Torah  is  himself  held  in  honor,  and  whosoever  dishonors 
the  Torah  is  himself  dishonored  with  men." 

MisiiNA  G.  R.  Ishmael  said  :  "  He  that  refrains  him- 
self from  judgment,  frees  himself  from  enmity,  and  rapine, 
and  false  swearing  ;  and  he  that  is  arrogant  in  decision  is 
foolish,  wicked,  and  puffed  up  in  spirit." 

MiSHNA  H.  He  used  to  say  :  "Judge  not  alone,  for 
none  may  judge  alone  save  One;  and  say  not,  'Accept 
ye  my  opinion,'  for  they  are  free  to  choose,  and  not 
thou." 

MiSHNA  /.  R.  Jonathan  said  :  "Whosoever fulfils  the 
Law  in  poverty  will  at  length  fulfil  it  in  wealth,  and  who- 
soever neglects  the  Law  in  wealth  will  at  length  neglect 
it  in  poverty." 

MisiiNAy.  R.  Meir  said  :  "  Lessen  your  business,  that 
you  have  more  time  for  the  study  of  the  Law,  and  be 
lowly  in  spirit  unto  every  man  ;  and  if  thou  idlest  away 
thy  time  without  study  of  the  Law,  thou  wilt  have  many 
idlers  against  thee ;  and  if  thou  laborest  in  the  Law,  He 
hath  much  reward  to  give  unto  thee." 

MiSHNA  K.  R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob  said  :  "  He  who  per- 
forms one  precept  has  acquired  unto  himself  one  advo- 
cate, and  he  who  commits  one  transgression  has  gotten 


84  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

to  himself  one  accuser.  Repentance  and  good  deeds  are 
as  a  shield  against  punishment." 

MisiiNA  Z.  R.  Jehudah  the  Sandlar  said:  "Whatso- 
ever congregation  is  for  the  sake  of  Heaven  will  in  the 
end  succeed;  and  that  which  is  not  for  a  divine  purpose 
will  in  the  end  not  succeed." 

MiSHNA  M,  R.  Blazar  b.  Shamna  said  :  "  Let  the 
honor  of  thy  disciple  be  as  dear  unto  thee  as  the  honor 
of  thine  associate  ;  and  the  honor  of  thine  associate  as  the 
fear*  of  thy  master ;  and  the  fear  of  thy  master  as  the  fear 
of  Heaven." 

MisHNA  N.  R.  Jehudah  said  :  "  Be  careful  in  thy 
study,  for  error  in  study  counts  for  an  intentional  sin." 

MiSHNA  O.  R.  Simeon  was  wont  to  say  :  "  There  are 
three  crowns — the  crown  of  the  Law,  the  crown  of  the 
priesthood,  and  the  crown  of  royalty.  But  the  crown  of 
a  fair  name  excelleth  them  all." 

MisiiNA  P.  R.  Nehorai  said  :  "  Betake  thyself  to  a 
place  of  Torah,  and  say  not  that  it  will  come  after  thee, 
because  thine  associates  will  confirm  it  unto  thee,  and 
(moreover)  lean  not  unto  thine  own  understanding." 

Tosephtha — Abotli  of  R.  Nathan. 

t ' '  Who  is  a  wise  man  ?  he  who  learns  from  everybody. ' '  Who 
is  the  most  modest  ?  One  who  is  as  modest  as  Moses  our  mas- 
ter was,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xii.  3]:  "  But  the  man  Moses 
was  very  meek."  Who  is  the  richest  of  all  ?  One  that  is  satis- 
fied with  his  lot,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxxviii.  2]:  "  When  thou 
eatest  the  labor  of  thy  hands:  (then)  wilt  thou  be  happy,  and 
it  shall  be  well  with  thee."  Who  is  the  greatest  of  all  heroes  ? 
One  that  controls  his  passion,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xvi.  32] : 
"  One  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  a  hero;  and  he  that 
ruleth  his  spirit,  than  the  conqueror  of  a  city."     And  one  that 

*  Rashi  explains  it  :  The  honor  of  a  disciple  can  be  as  dear  to  one  as  one's  self, 
because  the  honor  of  the  disciple  is  one's  own  glory,  which  cannot  be  so  in  case  of  a 
neighbor  ;  and  therefore  the  Torah  equals  it  to  the  fear  of  one's  master,  which 
includes  honor  also. 

f  Chapter  XXIII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTII.  85 

is  the  ruler  of  his  spirit  is  considered  as  if  he  had  conquered  a 
city  full  of  heroes,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xxi.  22]:  "  A  wise  man 
scaleth  the  city  of  the  mighty  "  ;  and  "  mighty  "  means  mighty 
in  the  Torah,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  ciii.  20]  :  "  Mighty  in  strength, 
that  execute  his  word."  There  are  others  who  say  that  it  means 
the  ministering  angels,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.]:  "  Bless  the  Lord, 
ye  his  angels,  mighty  in  strength,"  etc.  There  are  still  others 
who  say  that  the  greatest  hero  is  he  who  makes  his  enemy  his 
friend. 

"  Despise  no  man.''  As  it  is  written  [Prov.  xiii.  13] :  "  Whoso 
despiseth  the  word  shall  fall  in  debt  to  it;  but  he  that  feareth 
the  commandment  will  be  rewarded." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  One  who  is  taught  the  Law  while 
young  is  like  unto  a  heifer  which  was  tamed  while  yet  small,  as 
it  is  written  [Hosea,  x.  11]:  "  And  Ephraim  is  as  a  well-taught 
heifer  that  loved  to  tread  out  the  corn."  The  one  who  is  taught 
the  Torah  in  his  old  age,  however,  is  like  a  cow  which  was  tamed 
when  already  old,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  iv.  16J :  "  For  like  an 
untamable  cow  is  Israel  disobedient." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  He  that  is  taught  the  Torah  in  liis 
youth  is  similar  to  a  woman  who  kneads  her  dough  with  warm 
water,  and  one  that  is  taught  the  Torah  in  his  old  age  is  similar 
to  a  woman  who  kneads  her  dough  with  cold  water." 

■"  R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob  said:  "One  that  is  taught  the  Law 
when  young  is  similar  to  a  screed  which  was  written  on  new 
paper,  and  one  who  is  taught  the  Law  when  old  is  similar  to  a 
screed  which  was  written  on  old  paper." 

R.  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel  adds  to  the  above  the  following: 
One  that  is  taught  the  Law  when  young  is  similar  to  a  young 
man  who  marries  a  young  woman ;  they  are  suited  to  and  desire 
each  other.  One  that  is  taught  in  his  old  age,  however,  is  sim- 
ilar to  an  old  man  who  marries  a  young  woman:  she  is  suitable 
to  him,  but  not  he  to  her.  She  desires  him,  but  he  avoids  her, 
as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxxvii.  4]:  "  Like  arrows  in  the  hand  of  a 
mighty  man,  so  are  the  children  of  youth";  and  immediately 
after  it  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  5]:  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  hath 
his  quiver  filled  with  them." 

One  that  learns  and  forgets  is  similar  to  a  woman  who  bears 
children  but  buries  them,  as  it  is  written  [Hosea,  ix.  12]:  "  But 
though  they  were  to  bring  up  their  children,  yet  would  I  bereave 

*  This  is  added  here  to  R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob.  In  the  Mishna,  however,  this  state- 
ment is  ascribed  to  R.  Elisha  b.  Abuyah. 


86  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

them,  that  there  should  be  no  man."  Do  not  read  D^H/^^I 
(would  I  bereave  them),  but  QTinr'SyT  (would  I  forget  them). 
As  it  is  written  [Deut.  xi.  i8] :  "  Therefore  shall  ye  lay  up  these 
my  words  in  your  heart,"  etc.,  i.e.,  the  words  of  the  Torah  shall 
be  distinguished  from  each  other,  and  at  same  time  shall  be 
marked  upon  thee  side  by  side,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  vii.  3] : 
"  Bind  them  around  thy  fingers;  write  them  upon  the  table  of 
thy  heart  "  {i.e.,  as  the  fingers  are  separate  from  each  other  and 
still  side  by  side  of  each  other),  and  it  is  also  written  [ibid.  vi. 
21]:  "  Bind  them  upon  thy  heart  continually,  tie  them  about 
thy  throat." 


MiSHNA  Q.  R.  Janai  said  :  "  Neither  the  security  of 
the  wicked  nor  the  afiflictions  of  the  righteous  are  within 
the  grasp  of  our  understanding." 

MiSHNA  R.  R.  Mathia  b.  'Heresh  was  in  the  habit  of 
saying:  "Be  beforehand  in  saluting  every  man  !  Be  the 
lion's  tail  rather  than  the  fox's  head  ! " 

MiSHNA  S.  R.  Jacob  said  :  "  This  world  is,  as  it  were, 
the  antechamber  of  the  world  hereafter;  therefore,  pre- 
pare thyself  in  the  antechamber,  that  thou  mayest  be 
admitted  into  the  banqueting  hall ! " 

MiSHNA  T.  He  used  to  say :  "  Better  is  one  hour  of 
repentance  and  good  deeds  in  this  world  than  all  the  life 
of  the  world  to  come,  though  one  hour  of  refreshment  of 
spirit  in  the  world  to  come  is  better  than  all  the  life  in 
this  world." 

MiSHNA  U.  R.  Simeon  b.  Elazarsaid  :  "  Do  not  seek 
to  appease  thy  friend  in  the  hour  of  his  passion,  and  do 
not  seek  to  console  him  in  the  hour  when  his  dead  is  laid 
out  before  him  ;  and  do  not  interrogate  him  in  the  hour 
of  his  vow,  and  strive  not  to  see  him  in  the  hour  of  his 
disgrace." 

MiSHNA  V.  Samuel  the  Little  used  always  to  repeat 
the  following  passage  [Prov.  xxiv.  17,  18]:  "At  the 
fall  of  thy  enemy  do  not  rejoice,  and  at  his  stumbling 
let  not  thy  heart  be  glad,  lest  the  Lord  see  it,  and  it  be 


TRACT   ABOTH.  87 

displeasing  in  his  eyes,  and  he  turn  away  from  him  his 
wrath.'" 

MiSHNA  JV.  Elisha  b.  Abuyah  said  :  "  He  who  learns 
as  a  lad,  to  what  is  he  like  ?  To  ink  written  on  fresh 
paper.  And  he  who  learns  when  old,  to  what  is  he  like  ? 
To  ink  written  on  blotted  paper. 

MisiiNA  X.  R.  Jose  b.  Jehudah,  the  villager  of  Baby- 
lon,* said:  "Whom  does  he  resemble,  who  learns  from 
the  young  ?  Him  who  eats  unripe  grapes  and  drinks  the 
wine  fresh  from  the  wine-press  !  But  whom  does  he  re- 
semble, who  learns  from  old  men  ?  Him  who  eats  ripe 
grapes  and  drinks  old  wine!" 

MiSHNA  V.  Rabbi  was  in  the  habit  of  saying:  "  Look 
not  upon  the  pitcher,  but  upon  what  it  contains.  Many  a 
new  pitcher  is  full  of  old  wine,  and  many  an  old  one  docs 
not  even  hold  new  wine." 

MiSHNA  Z.  Rabbi  Eliezer  the  Kapar  said,  "  Envy, 
sensuality,  and  ambition  destroy  life." 

MiSHNA  A  A.  He  likewise  said  :  "  Those  born  unto  the 
world  are  destined  to  die  ;  the  dead  to  live  on  again  ;  and 
those  who  enter  the  eternal  life,  to  be  judged.  Therefore 
let  it  be  recognized,  understood,  and  remembered,  that 
He  the  Almighty,  the  Creator,  Architect,  He  is  the  coun- 
sellor. He  the  judge,  He  the  witness,  He  the  accuser. 
He  is  always  ready  to  give  judgment  ;  blessed  be  He  ! 
for,  before  Him  there  is  no  injustice,  no  oversight,  no 
regard  for  rank,  no  bribery.  Know  that  all  will  appear 
in  the  account !  Accept  not  the  assurance  of  thy  pas- 
sions, that  the  grave  will  be  a  place  of  refuge  for  thee. 
For  without  thy  consent  wert  thou  created,  wert  born  into 
the  world  without  thy  choice  ;  thou  art  now  living  with- 
out thine  own  volition,  without  thine  approval  thou  wilt 
have  to  die  ;  so  likewise  without  thy  consent  thou  wilt 
have  to  render  account  before  the  Supreme  King,  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He  ! " 

*  The  most  of  the  Tanaim  came  from  Palestine,  and  when  there  was  one  from 
Babylon  be  was  pointed  out. 


88  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

TosepJitha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*Said  EHsha  b.  Abuyah:  "  A  virtuous  man  who  has  studied 
the  Law  dihgently  is  similar  to  one  who  builds  a  foundation  of 
stones  and  a  superstructure  of  bricks ;  though  they  be  inundated, 
yet  they  cannot  be  moved.  One  who  is  not  virtuous,  in  spite 
of  having  studied  the  Law,  is  similar  to  one  who  lays  stones  on 
a  brick  foundation:  the  smallest  freshet  will  overturn  the  build- 
ing." 

He  used  to  say:  "  The  former  is  also  similar  to  lime  which  is 
spread  upon  stones,  even  heavy  rain  cannot  melt  it;  and  the 
latter  is  similar  to  lime  which  is  spread  on  bricks,  the  lightest 
shower  will  melt  it." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  The  former  is  also  similar  to  a  cup 
which  has  a  tp?j(po(T  (a  four-cornered  polished  stone),  even  when 
it  is  turned  over,  still  some  of  its  contents  remain ;  but  the  latter 
is  similar  to  a  cup  without  a  ipt^cpo?,  as  soon  as  it  is  turned  over, 
ever5^thing  in  it  is  spilled. 

He  used  to  say:  "  The  former  is  also  similar  to  a  horse  which 
has  a  complete  harness;  and  the  latter  is  similar  to  a  horse  which 
lacks  a  bridle:  the  man  who  mounts  him  is  soon  thrown  off." 

He  also  used  to  say:  One  who  is  taught  when  young,  ab- 
sorbs the  words  of  the  Torah  in  his  blood,  and  he  can  utter  them 
explicitly,  but  the  reverse  is  with  one  who  is  taught  when  old. 
There  is  also  a  proverb  to  this  effect:  "  If  thou  hast  not  desired 
them  in  thy  youth,  how  wilt  thou  reach  them  in  thy  old  age  ? " 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  The  words  of  the  Torah  are  as  hard 
to  purchase  as  golden  vessels,  and  as  easy  to  lose  as  glassware, 
as  it  is  written  [Job,  xxviii.  17] :  '  She  cannot  be  estimated  after 
gold  and  glass.'  "  He  brings  together  gold  with  glass,  as  golden 
vessels  when  broken  can  be  repaired ;  but  glassware  when  broken 
cannot  be  repaired,  unless  melted  and  formed  again.  And  what 
does  it  mean:  "  And  not  in  exchange  for  her  (can)  vessels  of 
refined  gold  (be  taken)  "  ?  [ibid.].  That  the  countenance  of  him 
who  occupies  himself  with  the  words  of  the  Torah,  and  observes 
them,  shines  as  refined  gold;  but  the  countenance  of  him  who 
occupies  himself  with  them,  and  does  not  observe  them,  becomes 
dark  as  glass  does. 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  It  is  possible  for  a  man  to  study  the 
Law  continuously  for  twenty  years  and  forget  it  in  the  course  of 

*  Chapter  XXIV.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   AEOTH.  89 

two  years."  How  so  ?  If  he  has  not  gone  over  what  he  had 
learned  for  six  months,  he  will  pronounce  the  unclean  clean,  or 
vice  versa.  If  he  has  neglected  to  go  over  his  studies  for  twelve 
months,  he  will  confuse  the  sayings  of  the  sages;  in  eighteen 
months,  he  will  forget  the  beginning  of  the  Tracts;  and  in 
twenty-four,  even  that  of  the  chapters;  and  finally  will  have  to 
be  silent  altogether.  Of  him  said  Solomon  [Prov.  xxiv.  30,  31] : 
"  By  the  field  of  a  slothful  man  I  once  passed  along,  and  by  the 
vineyard  of  a  man  void  of  sense :  and,  lo,  it  was  all  grown  over 
with  thorns,  nettles  had  covered  its  surface,  and  its  stone  wall 
was  broken  down."  And  when  the  wall  of  a  vineyard  falls,  the 
entire  vineyard  is  soon  destroyed. 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  One  who  causes  his  friend  to  perform 
a  meritorious  deed,  it  is  as  if  he  himself  had  done  it."  This 
can  be  compared  to  a  human  king  who  caught  a  bird  and  gave  it 
to  one  of  his  servants,  saying:  "  If  thou  wilt  be  careful  of  this 
bird,  I  will  reward  thee;  otherwise,  I  will  take  thy  life  for  its." 
So  also  has  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  said  to  the  Israelites: 
"  The  words  of  the  Torah  which  I  gave  to  you,  if  you  will  ob- 
serve them  I  will  reward  you ;  otherwise,  I  will  take  your  lives 
for  them,"  as  it  is  written  [Dcut.  iv.  9]:  "  For  it  is  not  a  vain 
word  for  you;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  your  life." 


Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  NatJian. 

*  Ben  Azai  said:  "  If  the  mind  is  tranquil  because  of  acquired 
wisdom,  it  is  a  good  sign;t  but  if  made  restless  by  acquired 
wisdom,  it  is  a  bad  sign.  If  the  mind  is  tranquil  on  account  of 
faith  in  the  Creator,  it  is  a  good  sign ;  but  if  the  mind  is  restless 
on  account  of  believing  in  the  Creator,  it  is  a  bad  sign.  If  one 
has  the  sympathies  of  the  sages  at  the  hour  of  his  death,  it  is  a 
good  sign  for  him  ;  if  he  has  not,  it  is  a  bad  sign  for  him.  When 
dying,  if  his  face  is  turned  upward,  or  he  looks  straight  in  the 
faces  of  the  persons  around  him,  or  if  his  countenance  shines,  it 
is  a  good  sign  for  him.     The  reverse  is  unfavorable." 

When  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  was  dying,  he  raised  his  voice 

*  Chapter  XXV.  of  the  original. 

t  The  explanation  at  length  of  this  saying  is  to  be  found  at  p.  50  of  our  "  Eben 
Harosha."  See  also  the  letter  of  the  late  Professor  Steinthal  printed  in  our  "  Schulchan 
Aruch  und  seine  Beziehungen,  etc,"  in  which  he  fully  agrees  with  us.  See  also  Sec- 
tion Moed,  Vol.  VI.,  Tract  Ilagiga,  p.  32,  foot-note,  concerning  Ben  Azai. 


9©  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

in  weeping.  Said  his  disciples  to  him:  "  Master,  thou  art  as  a 
high  pillar,  the  light  of  the  world,  a  strong  hammer — wherefore 
criest  thou?"  He  answered:  "Am  I  going  before  a  human 
king  ?  Such  a  one  is  angry  at  me,  it  can  be  only  for  this  world ; 
if  he  imprisons  or  slays  me,  it  is  only  for  this  world.  Moreover, 
I  might  appease  him  with  words  or  bribe  him  with  money.  But 
I  am  going  before  the  King  of  kings  of  kings,  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He:  if  He  should  be  angry  at  me,  it  includes  both 
worlds,  and  whom  I  cannot  appease  with  words  or  bribe  with 
mone}^  Besides,  there  are  two  ways  before  me :  one  leads  to 
the  garden  of  Eden  and  the  other  to  Gehenna,  and  I  do  not 
know  whether  I  will  be  condemned  to  Gehenna,  or  I  will  enter 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xxii.  30]  :  '  Before 
him  shall  bend  the  knee  all  that  are  going  down  into  the  dust,' 
etc." 

It  is  also  written  [Ex.  xxx.  23]:  "  And  then  will  I  take  away 
my  hand";  also  [Ezek.  ii.  10]:  "And  he  spread  it  out  before 
me,  and  it  was  written  within  and  without,"  etc.  "Within" 
means  this  world;  "  without  "  means  the  world  to  come.  Others 
say:  "  Within"  means  the  sufferings  of  the  righteous,  and  the 
welfare  of  the  wicked  in  this  world;  and  "  without  "  refers  to 
the  reward  of  the  upright,  and  the  expiation  of  the  wicked  in 
the  world  to  come. 

"  And  there  were  written  therein  lamentations,  and  dirges, 
and  woe"  [ibid.].  "  Lamentations"  refers  to  the  expiation  of 
the  wicked  in  this  world,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  xxxii.  16]  :  "  This 
is  the  lamentation  wherewith  they  shall  lament  for  her;  the 
daughters  of  the  nations  shall  lament  for  her."  "  Dirge''  *  re- 
fers to  the  reward  of  the  upright  in  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  xcii.  4]:  "Upon  a  ten-stringed  instrument,  and 
upon  the  psaltery;  and  with  the  sweet  sound*  of  the  harp." 
"  And  woe''  refers  to  the  expiation  of  the  wicked  in  the  world 
to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Ezek.  vii.  26]:  "  Mishap  shall  come 
upon  mishap,  and  report  shall  be  spread  upon  report." 

Before  he  (Rabban  Johanan  b.  Zakkai)  died,  he  said  :  "  Clean 
the  house  of  all  defilement,  and  put  in  a  chair  for  Hezekiah, 
King  of  Judah." 

He  used  to  say:  "  Whoever  dies  with  a  sound  mind,  or  when 
yet  able  to  talk,  or  while  conversing  about  the  Law,  or  while 

*"  Sweet  sound"  in  Hebrew  is  JVJH ;  "dirge"  is  njn.  The  Talmud  plays 
upon  the  similarity  of  the  two  words. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  91 

doing  something  meritorious,  or  in  a  state  of  gladness,  or  while 
laughing,  it  is  a  good  omen  for  him;  if  otherwise,  it  is  a  bad 
omen.  If  one  die  on  the  eve  of  Sabbath,  or  at  the  close  of  the 
Day  of  Atonement,  it  is  a  good  omen  for  him;  but  if  at  the 
close  of  the  Sabbath  or  on  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement,  it 
is  a  bad  omen." 

There  is  a  tradition  that  when  R.  Eliezer  fell  ill,  it  was  on 
the  eve  of  a  Sabbath,     When  R.  Aqiba  and  his  comrades  visited 
him,  he  was  sleeping  in  his  chamber;  so  they  stayed  in  the  din- 
ing-room.    When  Hyrcanus  his  son  entered  to  remove  his  phy- 
lacteries, he  was  prevented   from   doing  so  by  his  father,  who 
began   to   cry.      He   left   the  chamber,   and   said   to   the   sages: 
"  My  masters,  methinks  that  my  father  is  not  clear  in  his  mind." 
R.  Eliezer,   however,   overheard  him,   and  rejoined:  "  My  son, 
it  is  not  I  who  am  not  clear  in  my  mind,  but  thou.     For  thou 
hast  neglected  the  lighting  of  the  lamps,   for  which   thou  art 
liable  to  a  death  penalty  by  the  hand  of  heaven,  and  hast  instead 
occupied  thyself  with  the  removal  of  my  phylacteries,  for  which 
thou  art  guilty  only  because  of  Shbuih.''     When  the  sages  heard 
that  his  mind  was  clear,  they  sat  down  at  a  distance  of  four  ells  * 
from  his  bedside.     They  inquired  of  him  as  to  cleanness  and 
uncleanness  of  many  subjects  among  them;  also  an  amulet  or 
torn  phylacteries,  are  they  subject  to  defilement  or  not  ?     He 
answered:  "  They  are.     Dip  them  as  they  are,  and  be  careful 
about  them,  for  they  form  part  of  the  great  Halakhoth  which 
were  told  to  Moses  on  Sinai."     And  they  kept  on  asking  him 
concerning  cleansing,  dcfdement,  and  the  legal  baths,  saying: 
Rabbi,   What   is  this  ?    and.  What   is  that  ?    and  he  answered 
accordingly — clean,  or  unclean. 

Then  R.  Eliezer  said  to  the  sages:  "  I  wonder  whether  the 
scholars  of  this  generation  will  be  punished  with  death  by  the 
hand  of  heaven  ?"  They  inquired:  "  Rabbi,  why  so  ?"  And 
he  rejoined:  "  Because  they  have  not  served  me." 

Later  on  he  said  to  Aqiba  b.  Joseph:  "Aqiba,  why  hast 
thou  not  served  me  ?"  He  answered:  "  Rabbi,  I  had  not  the 
opportunity."  And  he  rejoined:  "  I  wonder  whether  thou  wilt 
die  a  natural  death."  There  are  others  who  say  that  he  did  not 
rejoin  anything. 

When  R.  Eliezer  spoke  thus  to  his  disciples,  his  blood  froze 
within  him.     Said  R.  Aqiba:  "  Rabbi,  what  will  my  death  be  ?  " 


*  As  he  was  at  that  time  excommunicated. 


92  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

He  answered  :  "  Aqiba,  thine  will  be  the  hardest  of  all !  "  There- 
upon the  latter  sat  down  before  him,  and  said:  "  Rabbi,  now 
teach  me."  And  he  taught  him  three  hundred  Halakhoth  con- 
cerning a  bright  spot  (in  the  skin  of  one's  flesh).  At  the  same 
time  he  raised  his  two  arms,  and  laid  them  on  his  breast,  say- 
ing: "  Woe  to  me!  that  my  two  arms,  which  are  like  two  holy 
scrolls,  must  leave  this  world.  If  all  the  seas  were  ink,  and  all 
the  reeds  were  pens,  and  all  mankind  were  writers,  they  could 
not  write  down  everything  I  have  learned  and  repeated,  and 
what  I  heard  while  serving  the  sages  in  the  college,  and  I  have 
not  left  out  of  the  Torah  even  as  much  as  a  drop  of  the  sea. 
Moreover,  I  learn  three  hundred  Halakhoth  in  the  verse,  '  Thou 
shalt  not  suffer  a  witch  to  live  '  [Ex.  xxii.  17]  [there  are  others 
who  say  three  thousand  Halakhoth],  and  nobody  ever  asked  me 
about  them,  except  Aqiba  b.  Joseph;  for  he  said  to  me  once: 
*  Rabbi,  teach  me  how  melons  are  planted,  and  how  they  are 
pulled  out.'  I  said  one  thing,  and  the  entire  field  became  cov- 
ered with  melons.  He  then  said:  '  Rabbi,  thou  hast  taught  me 
their  planting;  teach  me  also  how  they  are  pulled  out.'  And 
I  said  one  thing,  and  all  the  melons  were  gathered  together  in 
a  heap." 

R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  inquired  of  him  as  to  cleanness  and 
uncleanness  of  many  subjects,  and  he  answered:  "  It  is  clean," 
or  "  unclean,"  accordingly,  correctly;  and  when  answering  of 
one  thing  that  it  was  clean,  his  soul  left  him  v/hile  saying 
"  clean."  Whereupon  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  rent  his  garments, 
and,  weeping,  went  out  and  told  the  sages:  "  My  masters,  come 
and  see  R.  Eliezer,  who  is  clean  for  the  world  to  come,  because 
his  soul  left  him  while  saying  *  clean.'  " 

After  the  Sabbath,  R.  Aqiba  came  and  found  his  cofifin  while 
being  borne  from  Cesarius  to  Luda;  he  immediately  rent  his 
garments,  and  tore  his  hair  till  the  blood  flowed  and  dropped  to 
the  ground.  He  wept  and  cried:  "  Woe  to  me!  Rabbi,  because 
thou  hast  died.  Woe  to  me!  my  master,  because  thou  hast  left 
the  whole  generation  as  an  orphan."  When  standing  in  line  he 
said:  "'My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  its 
horsemen'  [II  Kings,  ii.  12],  there  are  many  foreign  coins 
which  no  money-changer  can  change  besides  you  {i.e.,  I  have 
many  hard  questions  of  law  which  cannot  be  solved  by  any  one 
besides  you)." 

■^'"  Be?i  Azai  said :   '  Hasten  to,'  "  etc.     He  used  to  say:  "  If 

*  See  Chapter  IV.,  Mishna  B. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  93 

thou  hast  performed  a  meritorious  deed,  and  art  not  sorry  for 
it,  it  will  draw  many  meritorious  deeds  in  its  train;  but  if  one 
transgresses,  and  is  not  sorry  for  it,  it  will  draw  many  sins  in  its 
train.  For  one  meritorious  deed  draws  another,  and  one  trans- 
gression draws  another  in  its  train,  as  the  reward  for  a  meritori- 
ous deed  is  the  performance  of  another,  and  the  punishment  for 
a  transgression  is  a  transgression." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  Set  something  apart  for  charity,  be- 
fore you  are  compelled  to  do  so  by  others,  so  that  you  get  the 
reward  of  both  the  charity  and  the  setting  it  apart,  and  not  that 
the  reward  for  the  latter  shall  go  to  the  one  who  compelled  you 
to  do  it." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  Lower  thy  seat  two  or  three  rows, 
from  the  place  you  intend  to  occupy.  For  it  is  better  thou 
shalt  be  told  to  ascend  than  to  descend,  as  it  is  written  [Prov. 
XXV.  7]  :  *  For  better  it  is  that  it  be  said  unto  thee,  Come  up 
higher,  than  that  thou  shouldst  be  put  lower  in  the  presence  of 
the  prince.' 

There  are  three  persons  whose  life  is  not  worth  living:  one 
who  must  eat  at  the  table  of  others;  one  who  lives  in  an  attic; 
and  one  whose  wife  dominates  over  him.  There  are  others  who 
say:  One  who  suffers  in  his  body. 

He  used  to  say:  "  It  is  easier  to  rule  the  whole  world  than 
to  associate  and  discuss  with  hypocrites." 


Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  R.  Aqibasaid:  "  The  safeguard  for  honor  is  refraining  from 
laughter;  the  safeguard  for  wisdom  is  silence;  the  safeguard  for 
vows  is  abstinence;  that  for  cleanness  is  holiness;  and  that  for 
meekness  is  the  fear  of  sin." 

He  used  to  say:  Do  not  mingle  with  the  scoffers,  for  thou 
niayest  learn  their  doings;  do  not  eat  with  an  ignorant  priest, 
for  thou  runnest  the  risk  of  desecration.  Be  not  free  with  vows, 
lest  thou  wilt  trespass  upon  oaths;  do  not  get  into  the  habit  of 
dining  sumptuously,  for  this  may  bring  thee  to  cat  the  bread  of 
charity;  do  not  come  to  a  doubt  (upon  slight  evidence),  and  it 
will  prevent  thy  coming  to  a  certainty  (upon  scant  proof);  and 
do  not  go  to  a  foreign  country,  for  thou  maycst  be  compelled  to 
follow  the  ways  of  idolaters.     So  also  said  David  [I  Sam.  xxvi. 

*  Chapter  XXVI.  of  the  original. 


94  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

19]:  "  Because  they  have  driven  me  out  this  day  so  that  I  can- 
not attach  myself  on  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord,  saying,  Go, 
serve  other  gods."  Canst  thou  for  a  moment  think  that  King 
David  was  an  idolater  ?  He  only  meant  to  infer  that  he  who 
leaves  Palestine  and  goes  to  a  foreign  country  is  considered  as 
if  he  were  an  idolater. 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  Whoever  is  buried  in  other  countries, 
it  is  as  if  he  were  buried  in  Babylon;  whoever  is  buried  in  Baby- 
lon, it  is  as  if  he  were  buried  in  Palestine ;  whoever  is  buried  in 
Palestine,  it  is  as  if  he  were  buried  under  the  altar,  because  the 
whole  (soil)  of  Palestine  is  fit  for  an  altar;  and  whoever  is  buried 
under  the  altar,  it  is  as  if  he  were  buried  under  the  throne  of 
glory,  as  it  is  written  [Jer.  xvii.  12]  :  'A  throne  of  glory,  exalted 
from  the  beginning,  is  the  place  of  our  sanctuary.'  " 

He  used  to  say:  "  The  ignorant  can  never  be  truly  pious." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  Why  do  disciples  die  while  young? 
Not  because  they  are  adulterers,  or  robbers,  but  because  they 
interrupt  their  studies,  and  occupy  themselves  in  idle  conversa- 
tion, and  also  because  they  do  not  begin  again  where  they 
stopped." 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said:  "  The  Israelites  who  live  outside 
of  Palestine  are  unconsciously  worshipping  idols.  How  so  ? 
And  idolater  gives  a  feast  in  honor  of  his  son,  and  he  invites  all 
the  Jews  of  the  place,  and  although  they  eat  and  drink  of  their 
own,  and  their  own  servants  wait  on  them,  yet  it  is  considered 
as  if  they  had  eaten  the  sacrifices  of  the  dead,  as  it  is  written 
[Ex.  xxxiv.  15]:  '  Any  one  call  thee,  and  thou  eat  of  his  sacri- 
fice.'" 

"  And co7itcjnns festivals.''  R.  Aqiba  said:  "  Whoever  mar- 
ries a  woman  not  suitable  to  him  transgresses  five  negative  com- 
mandments; for  '  thou  shalt  not  avenge,'  '  nor  bear  any  grudge  ' 
[Lev.  xlx.  18]  ;  for  '  thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thy  heart ' 
[ibid.,  ibid.  17];  for  '  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself' 
[ibid.,  ibid.  18];  and  [Lev.  xxv.  36]  '  that  thy  brother  may  live 
with  thee  ' :  as  he  hates  her,  he  desires  her  death,  consequently 
he  abolishes  the  commandment  of  the  multiplication  of  man- 
kind." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "Whoever  eats  unhealthy  food  trans- 
gresses thrice:  he  despises  himself,  as  well  as  the  food,  and  pro- 
nounces a  benediction  upon  unwholesome  things." 

R.  Jehudah  b.  Ilai  said:  "  When  one  dies  and  leaves  a  son, 
who  did  not  care  to  learn  the  Torah  from  him,  and  he  goes  and 


TRACT   ABOTH.  95 

learns  it  from  others,  his  only  desire  is  to  be  flattered  (and  as 
the  father  was  too  proud  to  flatter,  therefore  he  did  not  have 
the  merit  of  teaching  his  son)." 

R.  Elazar  the  Kapar  said:  "  Do  not  be  as  the  Hntel,  which 
no  hand  can  reach;  neither  as  the  upper  cross-beam,  on  which 
the  engravings  are  defaced;  and  not  as  the  middle  threshold, 
at  which  sometimes  the  feet  strike;  but  as  the  lowest  one,  on 
which  every  one  steps,  and  which,  when  in  the  end  the  entire 
building  is  demolished,  is  still  left  in  its  place." 


Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathaii. 

*  R.  Jose  said  :  Whoever  venerates  the  Torah  is  himself  hon- 
ored by  the  people,  as  it  is  written  [I  Sam.  ii.  30]:  "  For  those 
that  honor  me  will  I  honor,  and  those  that  despise  me  shall  be 
h'ghtly  esteemed."  "  Those  that  honor  wr  "  refers  to  Pharaoh, 
King  of  Egypt,  who  honored  the  One  who  said,  "  Let  there  be 
the  world,"  and  went  out  at  the  head  of  his  court;  and  when 
his  servant  remarked  that  kings  usually  went  in  the  rear  of  their 
court,  he  answered :  Am  I  then  going  before  a  human  king  ?  I 
am  going  before  the  King  of  kings  of  kings,  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He.  Therefore  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  also 
honored  him  and  m.eted  out  his  retribution  Himself,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Habakkuk,  iii.  15]:  "Thou  didst  pass  along  over  the  sea 
with  thy  horses." 

R.  Joshua  b.  Kar'hah  said :  "  Pharaoh  rode  into  the  sea  on  a 
stallion,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xv.  19] :  '  For  the  horse  of  Pharaoh 
Avcnt  in,'  etc. ;  but  when  his  retribution  came,  it  was  done  with 
ahorse  and  chariot,  as  it  is  written  [Habakkuk,  iii.  15]:  '  Thou 
didst  pass  along  over  the  sea  with  thy  horses,'  "  etc. 

"Those  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed,"  refers  to 
Sennacherib,  who  despised  the  One  who  said,  "  Let  there  be  the 
world  "  ;  therefore  he  was  despised  by  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  xxxvii.  24,  25]:  "  Through  thy  servants 
hast  thou  .  .  .  till  besieged  places."  Therefore  the  Lord 
punished  him  through  an  angel,  who  shaved  his  head  and  beard, 
and  he  returned  to  his  kingdom  shamefacedly. 

"  R.  Ishmael  the  son  of  R.  fohanan  b.  Br  oka  said:  '  Whoever 
learns  for   the  purpose   of  teaeJmig,"  "   etc.     He   used   to  say: 


*  Chapter  XXVII.  of  the  original. 


96  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

"  Though  thou  hast  not  undertaken  to  accompHsh  the  entire 
Law,  yet  thou  art  not  free  to  neglect  it  altogether;  and  the 
more  one  occupies  himself  with  it,  the  more  reward  he  accumu- 
lates." 

"  R.  Eliczcr  b.  Hisnia  said,'"  etc.  R.  Johanan  b.  Nuri,  how- 
ever, said:  "  The  Halakhoth,  the  purification,  and  the  law  of 
menstruation  and  Qinim  are  the  essentials  of  the  Torah." 

He  used  to  say:  "The  support  of  the  wise,  the  institu- 
tion of  courts  and  their  maintenance,  bring  much  good  to  the 
world." 

R.  Johanan  b.  Dehabai  said:  "  Whoever  says  this  Halakha 
is  not  seemly,  forfeits  his  share  in  the  world  to  come." 

He  used  to  say:  "  Do  not  keep  away  from  a  precept  which 
has  no  limit,  or  from  a  labor  which  has  no  end.  This  can  be 
compared  to  one  who  was  hired  to  take  water  from  the  sea  and 
spill  it  on  the  land.  When,  seeing  that  the  sea  does  not  de- 
crease and  the  land  is  not  submerged,  he  becomes  disgusted  and 
refuses  to  continue  the  work,  he  is  to  be  told  as  follows:  '  You 
ignoramus!  Why  should  you  become  disgusted?  Continue 
your  work,  and  get  your  pay  of  a  golden  dinar  every  day.'  " 

"  R.  Eliezer  b.  Shamiia  said :  '  Let  the  honor  of  thy  disciple,'  " 
etc.  Whence  do  v/e  know  that  one  shall  be  as  particular  regard- 
ing the  honor  of  his  disciple  as  regarding  that  of  his  colleague  ? 
From  Moses  our  Master,  who  said  to  Joshua:  "  Choose  for  us 
men  "  [Ex.  xvii.  9].  He  did  not  say  choose  for  me,  but/^r  us. 
Infer  from  this  that  he  regarded  him  as  his  equal,  although  he 
was  master  and  Joshua  the  disciple.  And  whence  do  we  know 
that  one  should  be  as  particular  regarding  the  honor  of  his  col- 
league as  regarding  that  of  his  master  ?  It  is  written  [Numb. 
xii.  11]:  "  Then  said  Aaron  unto  Moses,  Alas,  my  lord."  Was 
not  (Moses)  his  younger  brother  ?  Infer  from  this  that  he  re- 
garded him  as  if  he  were  his  master.  And  whence  do  we  know 
that  one  should  be  as  particular  in  regard  of  the  honor  of  his 
master  as  regarding  that  of  Heaven  ?  As  it  is  written  [ibid.  xi. 
28]:  "  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  the  servant  of  Moses  from 
his  youth,  answered  and  said.  My  lord  Moses,  forbid  them." 
We  see  that  Joshua  equalled  Moses  to  the  Shekhina. 

At  first  they  used  to  say:  There  is  grain  in  Judea,  straw  in 
Galilee,  and  chaff  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan;  afterward 
they  changed  it  to:  There  is  no  grain  in  Judea;  there  is  no 
straw  in  Galilee,  but  chaff;  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan 
there  is  neither. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  97 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  NatJian. 

*  R.  Nathan  said:  "  There  is  no  love  such  as  the  love  of  the 
Torah ;  there  is  no  wisdom  sucli  as  the  wisdom  of  manners; 
there  is  no  beauty  such  as  the  beauty  of  Jerusalem;  there  arc 
no  riches  such  as  the  riches  of  Modea;  there  is  no  strength  such 
as  the  strength  of  Persia;  there  is  no  adultery  such  as  the  adul- 
tery of  the  Arabians;  there  is  no  haughtiness  such  as  the  haughti- 
ness of  Elam ;  there  is  no  hypocrisy  such  as  the  hypocrisy  of 
Babylon,  as  it  is  written  [Zech.  v.  11]:  '  And  he  said  unto  me, 
To  build  for  it  a  house  in  the  land  of  Shinar  ' ;  and  there  is  no 
witchcraft  such  as  the  witchcraft  of  Egypt." 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said:  "A  sage  living  in  Palestine  is 
praiseworthy.  When  he  leaves  it  for  a  foreign  country,  his  wis- 
dom diminishes;  and  although  his  wisdom  diminishes,  still  he 
has  preference  to  a  sage  who  never  lived  in  Palestine.  This  can 
be  compared  to  metal  of  Nadai  which  is  brought  to  the  coun- 
tries of  the  sea:  although  depreciated  in  its  original  value,  it  is 
nevertheless  more  valuable  than  all  other  iron  of  the  world." 

Rabban  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel  said:  "  Whoever  maintains  peace 
in  his  own  household,  it  is  considered  as  if  he  maintains  it  among 
every  one  in  Israel ;  and  whoso  causes  envy  and  contention  in 
his  household,  it  is  considered  as  if  he  had  done  so  among  every 
one  in  Israel;  for  everyone  is  king  in  his  own  house,  as  it  is 
written  [Esther,  i.  22] :  '  That  every  man  should  bear  rule  in  his 
own  house.' 

Rabban  Gamaliel  said:  "  The  following  four  regulations  of 
the  Romans  annihilated  the  subjugated  nations:  the  unlimited 
taxes,  the  high  license  on  bath-houses,  and  theatres,  and  grain 
tithe." 

He  used  to  say:  "  The  words  of  the  Torah  are  as  difficult  to 
acquire  as  silken  garments,  and  are  lost  as  easily  as  linen  ones. 
Nonsense  and  foolish  things  are  easily  acquired,  but  are  hard  to 
lose  as  a  sack  is;,  for  sometimes  one  buys  a  sack  in  the  market 
for  a  sela,  and  uses  it  for  four  or  five  years." 

R.  Jchudah  the  Prince  said:  "  Whoever  indulges  in  the  plea- 
sures of  this  world,  the  pleasures  of  the  next  are  withheld  from 
him;  but  one  who  does  not,  will  not  forego  them  there." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  The  upright  who  fare  badly  in  this 
world  can  be  compared  to  a  cook  who  prepares  a  feast  for  him- 

*  Chapter  XXVIII.  of  the  original. 


98  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

self:  although  it  had  cost  him  much  trouble,  still  he  has  done  it 
for  himself.  The  wicked,  however,  who  fare  badly  in  this  world, 
are  as  the  cook  who  prepared  a  feast  for  others:  although  it  had 
cost  him  much  trouble,  nevertheless  he  has  done  nothing  for 
himself,  but  for  others." 

He  further  used  to  say:  "  All  those  things  which  are  done 
in  private  shall  be  done  as  if  they  were  done  publicly." 

"  Hillel  said:  '  Do  not  isolate  thyself  from  the  comtnunity.'  " 
He  also  used  to  say:  "  One  who  eats  much,  merely  increases  his 
excrement,  and  who  (adds  flesh  to  his  body)  multiplies  worms 
and  moths;  but  whoever  increases  his  good  deeds,  secures  bodily 
rest." 

R.  Elazar  b.  Shamua  said:  "  The  disciples  are  divided  into 
three  classes:  Hewn  stones,  corner-stones,  and  a  polished  stone. 
A  disciple  who  has  studied  Midrash,  and  only  knows  how  to 
answer  the  question  of  the  scholar  appertaining  to  Midrash,  and 
answers  in  that  is  compared  to  a  hewn  stone  which  has  only  one 
surface;  one  who  has  studied  Midrash  as  well  as  Halakhoth,  and 
he  is  able  to  answer  a  scholar  in  both,  is  like  a  corner-stone 
which  has  two  surfaces;  and  one  who  has  acquired  a  knowledge 
in  Midrash,  Halakhoth,  Agadoth,  andTosephthas,  and  is  enabled 
to  answer  in  all  four  branches,  is  like  a  polished  stone  which  has 
four  surfaces,  one  on  each  of  its  four  sides." 

R.  Jehudah  b.  Ilai  said:  "Whoever  constitutes  the  Torah 
as  the  chief  good,  and  considers  wordly  affairs  as  a  secondary 
thing,  will  attain  importance  in  the  world.  If,  however,  he  does 
the  contrary,  he  will  become  insignificant  in  the  world.  This 
can  be  compared  to  a  regiment  which  has  to  go  between  two 
roads,  one  of  fire  and  the  other  of  snow.  If  it  keeps  near  that 
of  fire,  it  v/ill  be  scorched ;  and  if  near  that  of  snow,  it  will  freeze. 
It  is  therefore  best  to  go  in  the  middle,  and  it  will  thus  be 
guarded  from  heat  and  cold." 


Tosephtha—Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  "  i?.  Simeo7i  b.  Elasar  (in  the  name  of  R.  M.€\x)said:  '  Con- 
ciliate 7iot  thy  friend  in  the  hour  of  his  anger,'  "  etc.  He  used 
to  say:  "  If  some  of  thy  neighbors  praise,  and  others  reprimand 
thee,  love  the  latter  and  hate  the  former;  for  the  latter  are 


*  Chapter  XXIX.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH. 


99 


bringing  thee  to  a  life  in  the  world  to  come,  and  the  others  are 
withdrawing  thee  from  it." 

He  also  used  to  say:  "  Wherever  a  righteous  man  goes  his 
heart  goes  along;  if  he  stands  still,  his  heart  does  so  also." 

He  further  used  to  say:  "  One  who  applies  himself  to  the 
study  of  the  Law  is  assisted  in  his  application.  However,  if  he 
neglects  it,  he  is  further  prevented  from  it  by  such  as  a  lion, 
wolf,  tiger,  hyena,  and  snake;  or  soldiers  or  robbers  surround 
and  punish  him,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  Iviii.  12]:  '  Verily,  there  is 
a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth.'  " 

Abba  Saul  (b.  Nanes)  said:  "  The  scholars  are  divided  into 
four  classes:  One  studies,  but  does  not  teach  others;  a  second 
teaches  others,  but  does  not  study  himself;  a  third  one  both 
studies  for  himself  and  teaches  others;  and  a  fourth  neither 
studies  himself  nor  teaches  others.  The  first  class  learn  a  chap- 
ter, or  two  or  three,  study  them  repeatedly  until  they  know 
them  by  heart,  but  do  not  teach  them  to  others;  the  second 
learn  an  entire  section  two  or  three  times,  teach  it  to  others,  but 
not  having  studied  it  repeatedly  forget  it;  the  third  learn  one, 
or  two,  or  even  three,  entire  sections,  teach  them  to  others,  and 
study  them  themselves,  and  therefore  do  not  forget  them ;  and 
the  fourth  class  are  those  who  have  learned  an  entire  section  two 
or  three  times,  but  have  not  taught  it  to  others,  neither  have 
they  studied  it  themselves,  and  thus  they  forget  it." 

R.  Hanania  b.  Jacob  said:  "  One  who  keeps  awake  at  night 
studying  the  Law,  it  is  a  good  omen  for  him;  however,  if  he 
spends  the  night  only  in  conversation,  it  is  a  bad  omen  for 
him." 

R.  Jacob  b.  Hananiah  said:  "  One  who  is  awake  by  night,  but 
does  not  study,  it  were  better  for  him  not  to  have  been  born." 

R.  Elazar  the  Kapar  said:  "If  one  honor  his  friend  for 
pecuniary  considerations,  he  will  in  the  end  be  dismissed  in  dis- 
grace; but  if  he  scorns  him  for  a  meritorious  purpose,  in  the  end 
he  will  be  dismissed  honorably.  Whence  is  the  former  deduced  ? 
From  the  case  of  Balaam  the  wicked,  who  honored  Balak  for  a 
mercenary  purpose,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xxii.  18]:  "And 
Balaam  answered  and  said  unto  the  servants  of  Balak:  If  Balak 
v.'ould  give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold."  And  whence 
do  we  know  that  he  was  dismissed  in  disgrace  ?  As  it  is  written 
[ibid.  xxiv.  1 1]:  "  And  now  flee  thou  to  thy  place  .  .  .  but, 
lo,  the  Lord  hath  kept  them  back  from  honor."  Whence  is  the 
latter  case   derived  ?     From   that    of    Moses   our   master,    who 


loo  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

scorned  Pharaoh  for  a  meritorious  purpose,  as  it  is  written  [Ex. 
xi.  8]:  "  And  all  these  thy  servants  shall  come  down  unto  me,  and 
bow  themselves  down  unto  me,  saying."  Was,  then,  Pharaoh 
standing  upon  the  roof,  and  Moses  on  the  ground  ?  Say,  then, 
that  Moses  said  to  Pharaoh:  "  Even  all  thy  servants  who  bow 
before  thee  on  thy  altar  will  come  down  and  entreat  me,  but  I 
will  not  listen  to  them."  And  whence  do  we  know  that  he  was 
dismissed  honorably?  It  is  written  [ibid.  xii.  31]:  "And  he 
called  for  Moses  and  Aaron  by  night." 

They  answered:  "  Are  we,  then,  thieves,  that  we  shall  go  out 
in  the  night  ?"  Wait  till  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  will 
bring  us  seven  pillars  of  honors,  and  accompanied  by  them  we 
will  go  forth  joyfully  and  openly,  as  it  is  written  [Numb,  xxxiii. 
3]:  "  On  the  morrow  after  the  passover-sacrifice  the  children  of 
Israel  went  out  with  a  high  hand." 

On  account  of  the  four  different  means  of  forgiveness,  R. 
Mathia  b.  Heresh  went  to  visit  R.  Ishmael  b.  Elazar  the  Kapar 
in  Ladakia.  He  interrogated  him:  "  Hast  thou  heard  the  four 
different  means  of  forgiveness  on  which  R.  Ishmael  used  to  lec- 
ture ?  "  He  rejoined  :  "  I  have  heard  they  are  three,  but  repent- 
ance must  be  to  every  one  of  them."  It  is  written  [Jer.  iii. 
22]:  "  Return,  ye  backsliding  children,  I  will  heal  your  back- 
slidings."  And  again  [Lev.  xvi.  30]:  "  For  on  that  day  shall 
(the  high-priest)  make  an  atonement  for  you  to  cleanse  you." 
Also  [Ps.  Ixxxix.  33]:  "Then  will  I  visit  with  the  rod  their 
transgressions,  and  with  plagues  their  iniquity."  And  also  [Is. 
xxii.  14]:  "  Surely  this  iniquity  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  you 
until  ye  die."  How  can  these  four  contradictory  passages  be 
explained  ?  Thus:  If  one  has  violated  a  positive  precept,  and 
has  repented,  he  is  forgiven  immediately — to  this  case  the  first 
passage  is  applied.  If  one  has  violated  a  negative  precept  and 
has  repented,  the  repentance  is  suspended  until  the  Day  of 
Atonement,  when  he  is  forgiven — to  this  the  second  passage 
is  applied.  If  one  has  committed  a  sin  for  which  he  is  liable  to 
Kareth,  or  death  by  the  court,  and  has  repented,  the  repentance 
and  the  Day  of  Atonement  are  suspended  until  he  is  cleared  by 
sufferings — to  this  case  the  third  passage  is  applied.  However, 
one  who  has  profaned  the  name  of  heaven  has  not  the  power  to 
repent,  and  no  sufferings  clear  him,  and  the  Day  of  Atonement 
does  not  atone  for  him;  but  repentance  and  sufferings  are  sus- 
pended, and  only  death  absolves  him — to  him  is  applied  the 
last  passage. 


TRACT    ABOTII.  loi 

Issi  b.  Jehudah  said:  "  Wherefore  do  scholars  die  before  their 
time  ?  Not  because  they  commit  adultery  or  robbery,  only  be- 
cause they  condemn  themselves." 

R.  Itz'hak  b.  Pin'has  said:  "  Whoever  is  versed  in  Midrash, 
but  not  in  Halakha,  has  not  tasted  of  wisdom  ;  and  he  who  is 
the  opposite,  has  not  tasted  of  the  fear  of  sin." 

He  used  to  say:  "  One  who  is  versed  in  Midrash,  but  not  in 
Halakhoth,  is  like  unto  a  strong  man,  but  who  Is  unarmed;  one 
who  is  the  opposite  is  like  an  armed  weakling.  One,  however, 
who  is  versed  in  both  is  like  unto  a  man  who  is  both  strong  and 
armed." 

He  further  used  to  say:  "  Be  careful  in  greeting  thy  neigh- 
bors. Do  not  enter  a  house  of  strife,  neither  strive  to  sec  it. 
Be  among  thy  colleagues,  and  be  thou  a  head  to  a  fox  rather 
than  a  tail  to  a  lion." 


Tosephtha — AbotJi  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  "  i?,  Nathan  b.  Joseph  said :  f  *  He  who  neglects  the  words  of 
the  Law  on  account  of  his  riches,  he  will  finally  do  so  on  account 
of  poverty  ;  but  he  tuho  observes  the  Lazv  even  zvhcn  he  is  poor,  he 
ivill finally  do  so  when  rich."  "  He  used  to  say:  "  The  consol- 
ing of  tlie  mourners,  the  visiting  of  the  sick,  and  the  bestowing 
of  favors  bring  much  good  to  the  world." 

R.  Meir  said:  "  One  who  transgresses  one  precept  doubt- 
fully, it  is  considered  as  if  he  had  done  it  in  certainty.  How 
so  ?  One  commits  a  sin  and  has  cognition  of  it,  he  brings  a  sin- 
offering  of  the  value  of  a  sela,  or  the  tenth  part  of  an  cphah  of 
the  value  of  a  Dupondius.  However,  if  he  is  in  doubt  whether 
he  sinned  or  not,  he  must  bring  a  trespass-offering  of  the  value 
of  two  selaim.  (So  is  the  Law.)  Now,  let  us  see.  It  is  certain 
that  goodness  of  heaven  exceeds  considerably  heavenly  chastise- 
ment, is  there  not  room  to  draw  an  ^/<?r//^r/ conclusion  that  if 
chastisement,  which  is  less  than  goodness,  still  if  one  is  in  doubt 
whether  he  did  or  did  not  sin,  heaven  requires  him  to  bring 
a  trespass-offering  to  pacify  his  conscience  and  to  be  rewarded 
for  bringing  the  offering,  so  much  the  more  in  case  of  goodness 
of  heaven  which  exceeds  chastisement,  that  heaven  rewards  hini 
in  case  of  doubt  as  if  it  were  sure  that  he  did  it." 

*  Chapter  XXX.  of  the  original. 

f  In  the  Mishna,  however,  this  saying  is  ascribed  to  R.  Jonathan. 


I02  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

R.  Nathan  b.  Joseph  said :  There  is  a  case  where  one  trans- 
gresses ignorantly,  and  nevertheless  it  is  considered  as  if  he  had 
done  it  wantonly.  How  so  ?  If  one  has  killed  a  person  un- 
awares, and  escapes  to  a  city  of  refuge,  and  the  avenger  of  the 
blood  find  him  before  he  reach  the  city  of  refuge  and  kill  him, 
he  is  free.  However,  if  one  killed  a  person  wantonly,  and  the 
avenger  of  the  blood  kills  him  (before  the  court  has  pronounced 
sentence,  not  heeding  the  warning  of  witnesses),  it  is  equal  to 
ordinary  murder,  although  the  avenger  thought  that  he  might 
do  so  as  a  relative  of  the  murdered  person,  and  he  may  be  killed 
for  the  crime.  Now  let  us  see :  Which  is  in  excess,  goodness  or 
chastisement  of  heaven  ?  Surely  the  former.  Now,  if  chastise- 
ment, which  is  less,  if  one  commits  a  sin  erroneously,  still  in 
such  a  case,  it  is  considered  as  if  done  intentionally,  so  much  the 
more  so  in  case  of  goodness  which  is  in  excess. 

R.  Aqiba  said:  "One  who  connects  himself  with  trans- 
gressors, although  he  has  not  done  as  they  did,  he  is  neverthe- 
less punished  as  they  are.  However,  if  he  connects  himself  with 
the  performers  of  the  precepts,  although  he  has  not  taken  part 
in  the  performance,  he  nevertheless  is  rewarded  as  they  are. 
How  so  ?  When  two  persons  give  their  testimony  that  some 
one  has  killed  a  person,  and  it  is  found  that  their  testimony  is 
collusive,  they  are  sentenced  to  death ;  and  as  they  are  brought 
to  the  stoning  place,  somebody  comes  running  up,  saying:  '  I 
know  something  about  these  witnesses  ' ;  and  when  his  testi- 
mony is  also  found  to  be  collusive,  he,  too,  is  sentenced  to 
death;  and  when  he  is  brought  to  the  stoning  place,  he  wails: 
'  Woe  to  me!  had  I  not  come  with  them,  I  would  not  have  been 
sentenced.'  Hence  the  same  a  fortiori  conclusion  stated  before 
must  be  drawn.  If  one  connects  himself  with  transgressors  and 
it  is  so,  much  the  more  one  will  be  rewarded  if  he  connects  him- 
self with  performers  of  precepts." 

R.  Simeon  said:  "  The  punishment  of  the  liar  is  that  even 
when  he  tells  the  truth  he  is  not  believed,  as  we  find  with  the 
sons  of  Jacob,  who  at  first  lied  to  their  father,  and  he  believed 
them,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xxxvii.  31]  :  '  And  they  took  Joseph's 
coat,  and  killed  a  he-goat ' ;  also  [ibid.,  ibid.  33] :  '  And  he  rec- 
ognized it,  and  said:  It  is  my  son's  coat.'  In  the  end,  however, 
when  they  spoke  the  truth,  he  did  not  believe  them,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [ibid.  xlv.  26] :  *  But  his  heart  remained  cold,  for  he  believed 
them  not ' ;  and  [ibid.]  :  '  And  they  told  him,  saying:  Joseph  is 
yet  alive,  and  he  believed  them  not.'  "     There  are  others  who 


TRACT   ABOTII.  103 

say:  "  The  holy  spirit  which  had  left  Jacob  our  father  during 
the  absence  of  Joseph  returned  to  him  at  that  time,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [ibid.,  ibid.  Z/-] :  '  The  spirit  of  Jacob  their  father  revived.'  " 


Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  R.  A'hai  b.  Joshiah  said:  "  One  who  buys  grain  from  the 
market  is  compared  to  an  infant  whose  mother  died,  and  which, 
although  nursed  by  many  other  nurses,  is  never  satiated.  One 
who  buys  bread  from  the  market,  is  comparable  to  one  for  whom 
a  grave  was  dug  for  interment.  One  who  eats  of  his  own  is  like 
an  infant  reared  at  the  breasts  of  his  mother." 

He  used  to  say:  "  One  who  eats  of  his  own,  his  mind  is  tran- 
quil ;  but  if  he  eats  of  that  belonging  to  his  father,  mother,  or 
his  children,  and  especially  of  that  belonging  to  strangers,  his 
mind  can  never  be  tranquil." 

*  Chapter  XXXI.  of  the  original. 


CHAPTER   V. 

MiSHNA  A.  By  ten  sayings  the  world  was  created; 
and  why  so  ?  Could  it  not  have  been  created  by  one  say- 
ing? But  it  was  that  vengeance  might  be  taken  on  the 
wicked,  who  destroy  the  world  that  was  created  by  ten 
sayings  ;  and  to  give  a  goodly  reward  to  the  righteous, 
who  maintain  the  world  that  was  created  by  ten  sayings. 

TosepJitJia — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

"  By  ten  sayings  the  zvorld  zvas  created.''  For  what  purpose 
is  this  stated  ?  To  teach  that  if  one  carries  out  a  precept,  or 
observes  one  Sabbath,  or  preserves  a  soul,  it  is  considered  as  if 
he  had  preserved  the  entire  world,  which  was  created  with  ten 
sayings.  But  he  who  transgresses  once,  or  violates  one  Sab- 
bath, or  destroys  one  soul,  is  considered  like  unto  one  who  has 
destroyed  the  entire  world,  which  was  created  with  ten  sayings. 
And  so  we  find  with  Cain,  who  killed  his  brother  Abel,  as  it  is 
written  [Gen.  iv.  lo] :  "The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  (in 
plural)."  He  shed  only  the  blood  of  one  person — why  is  the 
plural  used  ?  Infer  from  this  that  the  blood  of  the  decedent's 
children,  grandchildren,  and  all  the  descendants  which  were  des- 
tined to  be  descended  from  him,  were  all  crying  before  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He. 

R.  Nehemiah  said:  "  Whence  is  it  deduced  that  a  single  per- 
son is  equal  to  the  whole  creation  ?  It  is  written  [ibid.  v.  i] : 
'  This  is  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam.'  And  before 
that  it  is  written  [ibid.  ii.  4] :  '  These  are  the  generations  of  the 
heavens  and  of  the  earth  when  they  were  created.'  We  see  that 
with  reference  to  the  creation  of  man  almost  the  same  wording 
is  used  as  with  reference  to  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth, 
which  goes  to  show  that  one  is  as  much  as  the  other.  Likewise 
may  be  inferred  from  this,  that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He, 
showed  him  (Adam)  all  the  generation  which  were  to  spring  from 
him,  as  if  they  were  standing  and  playing  before  him."     There 


TRACT   ABOTH.  105 

are  others  who  say  that  the  righteous  only  were  shown  to  him, 
as  it  is  written  [Is.  iv.  3] :  "  Every  one  that  is  written  down  into 
life  in  Jerusalem." 

R.  Joshua  b.  Kar'hah  said:  "  It  is  written  [Ps.  cxxxix.  16]: 
'  My  undeveloped  substance  did  thy  eyes  see,  and  in  thy  book,' 
etc.  Infer  from  this  that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  showed 
unto  Adam  all  succeeding  generations,  together  with  their 
preachers,  directors,  leaders,  prophets,  heroes,  criminals,  and 
their  pious.  In  this  or  that  generation,  such  and  such  a  king 
will  reign;  in  another,  a  certain  sage  will  exist,  etc." 

R.  Eliezer  the  son  of  R.  Jose  the  Galilean  said:  "  Nine  hun- 
dred and  seventy-four  generations  before  the  creation  of  the 
world,  the  Torah  was  already  written  and  reposing  in  the  lap  of 
the  Lord,  and  sung  praises  together  with  the  angels,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  viii.  8,  9]:  '  Then  was  I  near  him  as  a  nursling;  and 
I  was  day  by  day  (his)  delight,  playing  before  him  at  all  times; 
playing  in  the  world,  his  earth.'  They  have  compared  this  to 
one  who  desired  to  engrave  many  subjects  on  a  piece  of  wood, 
and  as  it  was  not  of  sufficient  size,  he  was  in  despair.  What 
could  he  do  ?  Let  him  engrave  upon  the  earth,  where  he  has 
enough  space.  So  also  did  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  whose 
great  name  shall  be  praised  for  ever  and  evermore,  when  He  in 
His  wisdom  and  understanding  created  the  entire  world.  He 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  in  the  upper  and  lower  re- 
gions, and  created  in  man  all  that  he  created  in  his  world:  the 
world  contains  forests,  so  also  does  man,  viz.,  his  hair;  the  world 
contains  evil  beasts,  so  does  man,  viz.,  lice;  there  are  thorns  in 
the  world,  so  also  are  they  in  man — his  ears;  there  is  odor,  so 
also  in  man — his  nose;  light — man's  sight;  evil-smelling  liquids, 
so  also  in  man — the  excretion  of  the  nose;  salty  water,  so  also 
in  man — tears;  rivers,  so  also  in  man— his  urine;  castles,  so 
also  in  man — his  lips;  gates,  so  also  in  man — his  teeth;  sweet 
water,  so  also  in  man— his  saliva;  stars,  so  also  in  man — his 
cheeks;  towers,  so  also  in  man — his  neck;  cathedrals,  so  also  in 
man — his  arms;  nails,  so  also  in  man — his  fingers;  a  king,  so 
also  in  man — his  head;  advisers,  so  also  in  man — his  kidneys; 
millstones,  so  also  in  man — his  stomach;  regulations,  so  also  in 
man — his  spleen;  manure,  so  also  in  man — his  belly;  pits,  so 
also  in  man — his  nave! ;  spring-water,  so  also  in  man — his  blood  ; 
trees,  so  also  in  man — his  bones;  hills,  so  also  in  man — his 
ashes;  a  mortar  and  pestle,  so  also  in  man — his  knees;  horses, 
so  also  in  man — his  legs ;  hills  and  valleys,  so  also  in  man — when 


io6  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

standing  he  is  like  a  hill  and  when  lying  he  is  like  a  valley. 
Hence  all  that  which  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  created  in 
His  world,  He  also  created  in  man." 


MiSHNA  B.  Ten  generations  were  there  from  Adam 
to  Noah,  to  show  how  great  was  His  long-suffering  ;  for 
all  the  generations  were  provoking  him,  till  He  brought 
the  deluge  upon  them. 

Tosephtha — Ahoth  of  R.  Nathan. 

^**Teii  generations  were  there  from  Adam  to  Noah  J"  For 
what  purpose  was  this  stated  ?  To  teach  that  all  these  genera- 
tions persisted  in  provoking  the  Lord,  nevertheless  He  did  not 
bring  the  flood  on  the  world,  for  the  sake  of  the  upright  and 
pious.  There  are  others  who  say:  As  long  as  Methuselah  lived, 
the  flood  descended  not  upon  the  world ;  and  it  was  even  sus- 
pended for  seven  days  after  his  demise;  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  vii. 
lo]:  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  after  the  seven  days."  What  seven 
days  ?  The  period  of  mourning  for  the  upright,  who  prevented 
the  retribution. 

Another  explanation  is:  The  above  passage  teaches  that  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  granted  them  an  additional  respite, 
after  the  original  one  hundred  and  twenty  years,  of  seven  days, 
in  which  time  to  repent. 

Still  another  explanation  is,  that  the  Lord  changed  the  order 
of  the  world  for  seven  days,  causing  the  sun  to  rise  in  the  west 
and  to  set  in  the  east,  so  that  perchance  they  would  notice  it, 
become  frightened,  and  repent;  however,  it  had  no  effect. 

Still  another  explanation  is,  that  the  Lord  spread  His  table 
before  them  during  seven  days,  and  gave  them  an  inkling  of 
what  there  was  in  the  world  to  come,  so  they  might  reflect  and 
say:  Woe  to  us,  for  all  this  good  which  is  lost  to  us,  and  for  the 
destruction  of  our  offspring,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  vi.  12]  :  "  And 
God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and,  behold,  it  was  corrupt." 

R.  Elazar  b.  Parta  said:  "  It  is  written  [ibid.,  ibid.  3]:  'My 
spirit  shall  not  always  strive  for  the  sake  of  man.'  It  means 
that  the  Lord  said:  '  I  will  not  judge  them  until  I  will  double 
their  rewards,'  as  it  is  written  [Job,  xxi.  13]:  '  They  wear  out 

*  Chapter  XXXII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTir.  107 

their  days  in  happiness;  and  in  a  moment  they  go  down  to  the 
nether  world.'  " 

R.  Jose  the  Galilean  said:  "  It  is  written:  '  My  spirit  shall 
not  always  strive.'  It  means  that  the  Lord  said:  '  I  will  not 
equal  the  evil  thoughts  to  the  good  thoughts  so  long  as  their 
fate  has  not  yet  been  sealed.'  After  that,  however,  both  are 
equal  in  transgression." 

He  used  to  say :  "  The  evil  spirit  is  removed  from  the  upright 
and  the  good  spirit  predominates,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cix.  22]  : 
*  And  my  heart  is  deeply  wounded  within  me. '  From  the  wicked, 
however,  the  good  thoughts  are  removed  and  evil  thoughts  are 
given  them  instead,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  xxxvi.  2] :  '  Saith  vice 
itself  to  the  wicked.  So  I  feel  it  within  my  heart,  that  he  should 
have  no  dread  of  God  before  his  eyes.'  To  people  of  mediocrity 
both  are  given :  the  one  who  is  nearer  to  the  good  thoughts  is 
ruled  by  them,  and  one  who  is  nearer  to  the  evil  thoughts  is 
ruled  by  them,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  cix.  31]:  '  For  he  ever 
standeth  at  the  right  hand  of  the  needy,  to  save  him  from  those 
that  judge  his  soul.'  " 

R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar  said  :  "It  is  written  [Gen.  vi.  3] :  '  My 
spirit  shall  not  strive,'  etc.  This  means  the  Lord  said:  '  I  will 
not  judge  them  before  I  have  rewarded  the  upright.'  This  is 
only  as  to  this  world ;  but  as  to  the  v/orld  to  come,  it  is  written 
[ibid,  cxlvi.  46] :  '  When  his  spirit  goeth  forth,  he  returncth  to 
his  (native)  earth.' 

R.  Aqiba  said,  of  the  same  verse:  "  The  Lord  said:  '  They 
have  not  reflected  that  they  are  flesh  and  blood.'  On  the  con- 
trary, they  were  haughty,  and  said  unto  God:  '  Depart  from 
us  '  "  [Job,  xxi.  14]. 

R.  Meir  said,  of  the  same  verse:  "  This  means  that  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  said:  '  This  generation  said:  God  does  not 
judge,  there  is  no  judge  in  the  world;  God  has  left  it.'  " 

Rabbi  said,  of  the  same  verse:  "  This  means  that  the  Holy 
One,  blessed  be  He,  said:  '  They  have  not  instituted  a  Sanhe- 
drin  on  earth,  therefore  will  I  institute  for  them  a  Sanhcdrin  on 
high.'  " 

MiSHNA  C  Ten  generations  were  there  from  Noah 
to  Abraham,  to  show  how  great  was  His  long-suffering  ; 
for  all  the  generations  were  provoking  Him  till  Abraham 
our  father  came,  and  received  the  reward  of  them  all. 


io8  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Tosephtha — AbotJi  of  R.  Nathan. 

'''''Ten  generations,''  etc.  For  what  purpose  was  it  neces- 
sary to  state  this  ?  To  teach  that  all  these  generations  have 
provoked  Him,  and  there  was  not  one  who  walked  in  the  way 
of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  till  Abraham  our  father,  as  it 
is  written  [Gen.  xxvi.  5]:  "  Because  that  Abraham  obeyed  my 
voice  .  .  .  and  my  laws. "  Are  there  then  two  Laws  ?  In- 
fer from  this  that  the  Lord  provided  Abraham  with  two  reins, 
which,  like  two  sages,  made  him  understand,  advised  him  and 
taught  him  all  night,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xvi.  7]:  "I  will  bless 
the  Lord,  who  hath  given  me  counsel:  also  in  the  night  season 
my  reins  admonish  me."  And  not  only  that,  but  Abraham  our 
father  was  wont  to  practise  charity  first  and  justice  afterward, 
as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xviii.  19):  "  For  I  know  him,  that  he  will 
command,"  etc.  When  two  disputants  came  before  him,  and 
one  of  them  complained  that  the  other  owed  him  a  manah,  Abra- 
ham was  wont  to  deposit  a  manah  of  his  own  with  one  of  them, 
and  then  said:  Make  your  complaints.  When  he  found  that 
one  really  owed  the  other,  he  said  to  the  one  with  whom  he  de- 
posited the  manah:  "  Give  it  to  thy  neighbor";  and  if  neither 
owed  the  other,  he  said:  "  Divide  it  between  yourselves,  and 
depart  in  peace."  However,  David  the  king  practised  justice 
first  and  charity  after,  as  it  is  written  [II  Samuel,  viii.  15]: 
"  And  David  did  what  was  just  and  right  unto  all  his  people." 
When  two  disputants  came  to  him,  and  one  of  them  claimed 
that  the  other  owed  him  a  manah,  he  told  them  to  make  their 
complaints,  and  after  finding  one  of  them  liable,  he  used  to  give 
the  other  the  manah;  otherwise,  he  said:  "  Divide  your  claims, 
and  depart  in  peace." 

MiSHNA  D.  With  ten  temptations  was  Abraham  our 
father  tempted,  and  he  withstood  them  all,  to  show  how 
great  was  the  love  of  Abraham  our  father. 

TosepJuJia — A  both  of  K.  Nathan. 

"  With  te7t  temptations,''  etc.  They  are  as  follows:  two  at 
"get  thee  out  of  thy  country";  two  with  his  two  sons;  two 

*  Chapter  XXXIII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  109 

with  his  two  wives;  one  with  the  kings;  one  ?it"  the  pieces"; 
one  at  Ur  of  the  Clialdces ;  and  one  at  the  circumcision.  Where- 
fore so  many  ?  For  the  reason  that  when  Abraham  our  father 
will  cLiim  his  reward,  the  angels  shall  say:  More  than  us,  even 
more  than  all  of  us,  is  he  worthy  to  receive  his  rewards,  as  it  is 
written  [Eccl.  ix.  7]:  "  Go,  eat  with  joy  thy  bread,  and  drink 
with  a  merry  heart  thy  wine." 

In  comparison  to  these  ten  temptations,  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  performed  ten  miracles  for  his  descendants  in 
Egypt,  and  also  brought  ten  plagues  (on  the  Egyptians) ;  and 
performed  ten  miracles  for  the  Israelites  at  the  sea,  and  brought 
ten  plagues  on  the  Egyptians  at  the  sea.  The  Egyptians  roared 
at  them  with  their  voices,  so  also  did  the  Lord  roar  at  them  at 
the  sea,  as  it  is  written  [Job,  xxxvii.  5] :  "  God  thundereth  with 
his  marvellous  voice."  The  Egyptians  came  to  the  sea  with 
bows  and  arrows,  so  also  did  the  Lord  appear,  as  it  is  written 
[Habakkuk,  iii.  9]:  "  Laid  quite  bare  is  thy  bow";  also  [Ps. 
xviii.  15]:  "  And  he  sent  out  his  arrows,  and  scattered  them." 
The  Egyptians  came  to  the  sea  armed  with  swords,  so  also  did 
the  Lord,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.]  :  "  And  he  shot  forth  lightnings, 
and  discomfited  them  " — lightning  means  sword,  as  it  is  written 
[Ezek.  xxi.  14,  15]:  "  The  sword,  the  sword  is  sharpened,  and 
also  polished :  in  order  to  make  a  thorough  slaughter  it  is  sharp- 
ened, in  order  that  it  may  glitter -'  is  it  polished."  *  The  Egyp- 
tians came  armed  with  spears,  so  also  did  the  Lord,  as  it  is 
v/ritten  [Habakkuk,  iii.  11]:  "At  the  shining  of  the  flaming 
glitter  of  thy  spear. "  The  Egyptians  were  proud  of  their  shield 
and  buckler;  so  was  the  Lord,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xxxv.  2]: 
"Take  hold  of  shield  and  buckler,  and  rise  up  for  my  help." 
The  Egyptians  came  with  sling-stones,  but  the  Lord  with  hail- 
stones, as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xviii.  13]:  "  From  the  brightness 
before  him  his  thick  clouds  passed  away  (with)  hail-stones  and 
coals  of  fire." 

When  our  fathers  stood  by  the  sea,  INIoses  said  to  them : 
"Arise  and  pass  through  it!"  and  they  rejoined:  "We  will 
not  pass,  till  we  see  the  sea  become  chips,  chips. "  f  Whereupon 
Moses  struck  the  sea  with  his  staff,  and  it  was  converted  into 
chips,  as  it  is  written  [Habakkuk,  iii.  14]:  "  Thou  didst  strike 
through  with  his  own  spears  the  chiefs  of  his  villages."     Again 

*  The  Hebrew  term  for  both  "glitter"  and  "  lightning  "  is  p"i3. 
f  The  text  reads  "nekabim,"  and  the  verse  quoted  begins  with  "nakab-tha"; 
hence  the  supposition. 


no  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Moses  said  to  them:  "Arise  and  pass  through  it,"  and  they 
rejoined:  "  We  will  not  pass  till  the  sea  becomes  a  valley." 
Moses  struck  the  sea  again,  and  it  became  a  valley,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Ps.  Iviii.  13]:  "  He  divided  the  sea,  and  caused  them  to 
pass  through";  also  [Is.  Ixiii.  14]:  "As  a  beast  goeth  down 
into  the  valley."  Moses  again  urged  them  to  pass  through  the 
sea,  and  they  answered:  "  We  will  not,  till  it  becomes  separated 
into  parts";  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxxxvi.  13]:  "To  him  who 
divided  the  Red  Sea  into  parts."  When  urged  again,  they  said : 
"  We  will  not  pass  till  the  bottom  becomes  loamy."  Where- 
upon Moses  struck  the  sea  with  his  staff,  and  the  bottom  became 
loamy,  as  it  is  written  [Habakkuk,  iii.  15]:  "  But  (thou)  didst 
pass  along  over  the  sea  with  thy  horses,  over  the  piled-up  bil- 
lows''^  of  great  waters."  Again  they  refused  to  pass  through, 
until  the  bottom  of  the  sea  should  become  a  desert;  and  Moses 
caused  it  to  be  so,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cvi.  9]:  "  And  he  led 
them  through  the  depths,  as  through  the  wilderness."  They 
refused  again  until  the  sea  became  converted  into  small  particles, 
and  Moses  caused  it  to  be  so,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  Ixxiv.  13]: 
"  It  was  thou  that  didst  divide  by  thy  strength  the  sea."  They 
again  refused  until  it  should  become  rocky,  and  Moses  caused  it 
to  be  so,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.]:  "  Thou  brokest  in  pieces  the 
heads  of  the  crocodiles  on  the  water,"  and  that  can  be  broken 
on  rocks  only.  They  again  refused  until  the  sea  should  become 
dry  land,  and  Moses  made  it  so,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  Ixvi.  6]: 
"  He  changed  the  sea  into  dry  land  "  ;  also  [Ex.  xv.  19]:  "  But 
the  children  of  Israel  v/ent  on  dry  ground  through  the  midst  of 
the  sea."  They  refused  again  until  the  waters  became  as  walls, 
and  Moses  made  them  so,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xiv.  22]:  "  And 
the  waters  were  a  wall  unto  them,  on  their  right  hand,  and  on 
their  left."  They  still  refused  till  there  should  be  bottles,  and 
Moses  complied  again,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xv.  8]:  "  The  flood 
stood  upright  as  a  v/all."f  And  the  infants  were  drinking  oil 
and  honey  out  of  these  bottles,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxxii.  13]: 
"  And  he  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock,"  etc.  There 
are  others  who  say:  "  Living  water  issued  out  of  the  sea,  when 
they  were  between  the  walls,  and  they  drank  of  it,  as  the  sea 
water  is  salty;  for  it  is  stated  "the  flood,"  and  that  means  sweet 
water,  as  it  is  written  [Songs,  iv.  15]:  "A  well  of  living  waters, 

*  "IDH  means  both  "  loam  "  and  "  billows." 

1 12  is  "  wall,"  nw  is  "  bottle."     The  Talmud  plays  on  the  similarity  of  the  two 
words. 


TRACT    ABOTPI.  m 

and  flowing  down  from  Lebanon,"     The  clouds  of  glory  were 
above  their  heads,  to  protect  them  from  the  sun. 

R.  Eliezer  said:  "  The  deep  was  arched  over  their  heads, 
while  passing  through  the  sea,  to  save  them  from  pain."  The 
former  and  the  latter  both  say:  The  upper  and  the  lower  waters 
overthrew  the  Egyptians,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xiv.  27]:  "And 
the  Lord  overthrew  the  Egyptians  in  the  midst  of  the  sea." 

MisiiNA  F.  With  ten  temptations  did  our  ancestors 
tempt  God  in  the  wilderness,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xxv. 
22]  :  "And  have  tempted  me  these  ten  times,  and  have 
not  hearkened  to  my  voice." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*"  By  means  of  ten  trials  the  Holy  One,  blessed  he  He,  tested 
our  forefathers,''  and  they  were  found  wanting  in  all  of  them. 
They  are  as  follows:  In  the  wilderness,  in  the  plain,  opposite 
Suph,  between  Paran  and  Thophel  and  Laban  and  Chazcroth 
and  Di-zahab.  "  In  the  wilderness  "  they  made  the  golden  calf, 
as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xxxii.  8]:  "  They  have  made  themselves  a 
molten  calf."  "  In  the  plain"  they  quarrelled  with  Moses  on 
account  of  water,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xvii.  3]:  "  And  the  peo- 
ple thirsted  there  for  water."  "  Opposite  Suph  " — their  rebel- 
lion at  the  Red  Sea.  There  are  others  who  say:  This  has  refer- 
ence to  Michah's  graven  image.  "  Between  Paran  " — where  the 
incident  of  the  spies  occurred  [Numb.  xiii.  3]:  "And  Moses 
sent  them  out  from  the  wilderness  of  Paran."  "  And  Thophel  " 
refers  to  the  nonsense  (slander)  f  they  talked  of  the  manna. 
"  And  Laban  " — this  is  the  dissension  of  Korah.  "  And  Chaze- 
roth  " — near  which  place  the  incident  of  the  quails  occurred. 
All  these  are  seven,  and  somewhere  else  it  is  written  [Deut.  ix. 
22]:  "And  at  Thah'erah,  and  at  Massah,  and  at  Kibroth-hat- 
thavah."  (Making  altogether  ten.)  What  does  Di-zahab  refer 
to  ?  Aaron  said  to  them  :  "  Ye  have  enough  of  the  sin  of  the 
gold  which  ye  brought  for  the  calf." 

R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob  said  :  "  This  sin  with  which  the  Israelites 
were  afflicted,  is  enough  for  that  time  till  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead." 

*  Chapter  XXXIV.  of  the  original. 

\  ?Dn  in  Hebrew  means  also  "  nonsense." 


112  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

Ten  names  of  praise  are  applied  to  the  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He:  "  Adonai,"  "  Jah,"  "  Eloim,"  "  Eloah,"  "  Eloechu," 
Eloechem,"  "  El,"  "  Eheh-ascher-Eheh,"  "  Shadai,"  "  Ze- 
baoth."  Said  R.  Jose:  "  I  do  not  agree  as  to  the  name  "  Ze- 
baoth,"  for  it  is  written  [Deut.  xx.  9]:  "That  they  shall  ap- 
point captains  for  the  armies,''  the  Hebrew  term  for  "  army  " 
being  "  Zebaoth."  (These  being /r^/^r  names  of  God,  we  have 
not  translated  them.) 

Ten  ignominious  names  are  applied  to  the  idols.  They  are 
as  follows:  Abominations,  idols,  molten  images,  graven  images, 
false  gods,  groves,  sun-images,  Atzabim,  Aven,  images. 

Two  signs  (the  inverted  letter  Nun)  are  placed  in  the  Torah 
at  a  small  section,  viz.  :  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  ark  set 
forward,"  etc.  [Numb.  x.  35,  36].  Said  Rabban  Simeon  b. 
Gamaliel:  "  It  would  have  been  advisable  to  remove  this  sec- 
tion and  put  it  in  another  place.  Something  like  this  we  find 
elsewhere  [Judges,  xviii.  20]:  '  And  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Ger- 
shom,  the  son  of  Menasseh,'  was  he  the  son  of  Menasseh,  and 
not  the  son  of  Moses  ?  But  because  his  deeds  were  not  like 
those  of  his  father  Moses,  therefore  he  is  traced  to  Menasseh." 

Likewise  we  find  [Zech.  iv.  14]:  "  These  are  the  two  sons  of 
the  clear  oil,  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth."  This 
refers  to  Aaron  and  the  Messiah,  and  we  do  not  know  who  is 
more  beloved;  but,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  ex.  4] :  "  The  Lord  hath 
sworn,  and  will  not  repent  of  it,  thou  shalt  be  a  priest  for  ever." 
It  is  to  be  inferred  from  this  that  the  latter  is  more  beloved. 

It  is  said  [Ps.  Ixxx.  14]:  "  The  boar  out  of  the  forest  doth 
gnaw  at  it."  Is  it  not  written  out  of  the  river ? "^  The  difTer- 
ence  in  the  two  words  implies  this:  As  long  as  Israel  act  con- 
trary to  the  will  of  the  Omnipotent,  the  idolaters  are  likened  to 
them  as  a  boar  out  of  the  forest,  which  kills  the  people,  dam- 
ages the  cattle,  and  is  an  affliction  to  mankind.  However,  when 
the  Israelites  act  according  to  the  will  of  the  Omnipotent,  the 
idolaters  are  likened  unto  them,  as  the  boar  out  of  the  river 
(hippopotamus),  which  does  not  kill  people,  nor  injures  any 
creatures.  Many  words  of  the  Torah  are  dotted.  They  are  as 
follows:  "  May  the  Lord  judge  between  me  and  thee''  [Gen. 

*  ~|5^>  in  Hebrew  means  a  "  river  "  and  "ij?'  means  a  "  forest  "  ;  in  the  verse  quoted 
the  latter  word  is  used,  but  the  Massorah  says  that  the  middle  letter  is  suspended  above 
the  line,  and  the  Talmud  maintains  that  this  shows  that  originally  the  first-mentioned 
v-'ord  was  used,  but  subsequently  the  middle  letter  was  changed  and  the  change  in- 
dicated by  the  suspension. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  1,3 

xvi.  5].  The  second  Yod  is  dotted  in  the  word  "  ubenecha," 
which  hints  that  she  (Sarah)  applied  it  to  Ilagar.  Others  say 
she  meant  those  who  caused  quarrelHng  between  her  and  him. 
"And  they  said  unto  him,  Where  is  Sarah  thy  wife  ?  "  [ibid, 
xviii.  9].  The  Aleph,  Yod,  and  Vav  are  dotted  to  imply  that, 
although  they  knew  where  she  was,  still  they  inquired  after  her. 
"  And  he  perceived  not  when  she  lay  down,  nor  when  she  arose  " 
[ibid.  xix.  33].  The  second  Vav  is  dotted,  to  imply  that  he  per- 
ceived only  when  the  younger  arose.  "And  Esau  ran  to  meet 
him,  and  embraced  him,  and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed /iim" 
[ibid,  xxxiii.  4].  All  the  letters  of  the  word  "  vayishokehu" 
are  dotted,  to  signify  that  he  was  not  sincere.  R.  Simeon  b. 
Elazar  said:  "  It  implies,  on  the  contrary,  that  this  kissing  was 
sincere,  but  all  his  other  acts  were  insincere."  "And  his 
brothers  went  to  feed  his  idXhcv's  Jlocks  in  Shechem  "  [ibid. 
xxxvii.  12].  There  are  dots  on  the  word  "  eth,"  to  imply  that 
they  did  not  go  to  feed  the  flocks,  but  to  eat,  drink,  and  commit 
follies.  "  All  that  were  numbered  of  the  Levites,  whom  Moses 
numbered  with  Aaron"  [Numb.  iii.  39].  The  entire  word  is 
dotted,  to  imply  tliat  Aaron  was  not  included  in  the  number. 
"  Or  be  on  a  distant  journey"  [ibid.  ix.  10].  The  Ileh  in  the 
word  "  rechokah  "  is  dotted,  to  imply  that  it  does  not  reall}'' 
mean  a  distant  journey,  only  that  he  was  prohibited  from  passing 
the  threshold  of  the  outer  court  (of  the  Temple).  "  And  we  have 
laid  waste  (all)  up  to  Naphach,  iv/iich  reacheth  unto  Medeba  " 
[ibid.  xxi.  30].  Tlie  Resh  in  the  word  "  asher  "  is  dotted,  to 
imply  that  only  the  idolaters  laid  waste  the  countries.  Concern- 
ing the  first  day  of  Tabernacles,  it  is  written  [ibid.  xxix.  15]: 
"  And  a  tenth  pari  each."  The  Vav  of  the  v.'ord  "  eissoron  "  is 
dotted,  to  imply  that  there  should  be  only  one-tenth  part.  And. 
lastly:  "  The  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God;  but 
those  things  which  are  publicly  known  belong  to  us  and  to  our 
children  for  QVQx"  [Deut.  xxix.  30].  The  entire  two  first  words 
and  the  Ayin  of  the  third  are  dotted,  to  imply  that  Ezra  said  : 
"  If  Elijah  will  come  and  question  me  why  I  have  written  thus, 
I  will  answer:  '  I  have  already  dotted  them.'  However,  if  he 
will  say:  '  Thou  hast  written  well,'  I  will  erase  the  dots." 

In  the  Torah  there  is  written  eleven  times  the  word  5^'','^ 
(which  means  "she"),  when  it  ought  to  be  ^1"",  (he).  (See 
Massorah.) 

Ten  times  did  the  Shekhina  descend  upon  the  earth.     Once 
in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  iii.  8J :  "  And  they 
8 


114  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the  garden."  Once 
in  the  generation  of  the  (builders  of)  the  tower,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.  xi.  5] :  "  And  the  Lord  came  down  to  see  the  city  and  the 
tower."  Once  in  Sodom,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  xviii.  21]  :  "  And 
I  will  go  down  now,  and  see  if  they  have  done  according  to  the 
cry  against  them."  Once  in  Egypt,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  iii.  8]: 
"  And  I  am  come  down  to  deliver  it  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
Egyptians."  Once  at  the  sea,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xviii.  10]: 
"  And  he  bent  the  heavens,  and  came  down."  Once  at  Sinai, 
as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xix.  20] :  "  And  the  Lord  came  down  upon 
Mount  Sinai."  Once  at  the  Temple,  as  it  is  written  [Ezek. 
xliv.  2]  :  "  This  gate  shall  remain  locked,  it  shall  not  be  opened 
because  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  hath  entered  in  by 
it."  Once  at  the  pillar  of  cloud,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xi.  25]  : 
"  And  the  Lord  came  down  in  a  cloud."  And  once  when  it  will 
come  down  in  the  days  of  Gog  and  Magog,  as  it  is  written  [Zech. 
xiv.  4] :  "  And  his  feet  will  stand  on  that  day  upon  the  Mount 
of  Olives." 

Ten  degrees  the  Shekhina  removed  itself  from  one  place  to 
another:  From  the  cover  to  the  cherub,  as  it  is  written  [II  Sam- 
uel, xxii.  11]:  "  And  he  rode  upon  a  cherub,  and  flew  along  "  ; 
from  the  cherub  to  the  threshold,  as  it  is  written  [Ezek.  ix.  3]: 
"  And  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  ascended  up  from  the 
cherub,  whereupon  it  had  been,  to  the  threshold  of  the  house  "  ; 
from  the  threshold  to  the  two  cherubim,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  x, 
18]:  "  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  went  forth  from  off  the  thresh- 
old of  the  house,  and  halted  over  the  cherubim";  from  the 
cherubim  to  the  roof,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxi.  9]:  "  It  is  bet- 
ter to  dwell  in  a  corner  of  a  roof  "  ;  from  the  roof  to  the  wall  of 
the  outer  court,  as  it  is  written  [Amos,  vii.  7] :  "  And,  behold, 
the  Lord  was  standing  upon  a  wall  (made)  by  a  plumbline  ' ' ;  from 
the  wall  of  the  outer  court  to  the  altar,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  ix. 
i]:  "I  saw  the  Lord  standing  upon  the  altar";  from  the  altar 
to  the  city,  as  it  is  written  [Micah,  vi.  9] :  "  The  voice  of  the 
Lord  calleth  unto  the  city";  from  the  city  to  the  mount,  as  it 
is  written  [Ezek.  xi.  23]:  "  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  ascended 
from  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  halted  upon  the  mount,"  etc. ; 
from  the  mount  to  the  desert,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxi.  19]: 
"  It  is  better  to  dwell  in  a  desert  land";  and  once  when  it 
ascended  on  high,  as  it  is  written  [Hosea,  v.  15]:  "  I  will  go 
(hence,  and)  return  to  my  place." 

A  prophet  is  called  by  ten  different  names.     They  are  as 


TRACT   ABOTH.  115 

follows:  Ambassador,  faithful,  servant,  messenger,  seer,  watch- 
man, man  of  scrutiny,  dreamer,  prophet,  man  of  God. 

There  are  ten  names  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  namely:  Proverb, 
metaphor,  riddle,  word,  saying,  calling,  commandment,  proph- 
ecy, sacred  speech,  and  vision, 

Joy  has  ten  different  expressions:  Gladness,  joy,  rejoicing, 
joyfulness,  pleasure,  relish,  satisfaction,  complacency,  delight, 
cheer. 

Ten  are  called  "  living":  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  as 
it  is  written  [Jer.  x.  10]:  "  But  the  Lord  God  is  the  truth:  he 
is  the  living  God";  the  Torah,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  iii.  18]: 
"  A  tree  of  life  is  she  to  those  that  lay  hold  on  her:  and  every 
one  that  firmly  graspeth  her  will  be  made  happy  "  ;  Israel,  as  it 
is  written  [Deut,  iv,  4]:  "  But  ye  that  cleave  unto  the  Lord 
your  God  are  alive,  every  one  of  you,  this  day";  good  deeds, 
as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xi.  30]:  "  The  fruit  of  the  righteous  is  of 
the  tree  of  life  "  ;  the  Garden  of  Eden,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxvi, 
9]:  "I  will  walk  before  the  Lord  in  the  lands  of  life  "  ;  the  tree, 
as  it  is  written  [Gen.  ii.  9] :  "  And  the  tree  of  life  in  the  midst  of 
the  garden  ";  Palestine,  as  it  is  written  [Ezek.  xxvi.  20]:  "  But 
I  will  bestow  glory  in  the  land  of  life  "  ;  charitable  deeds,  as  it 
is  written  [Prov.  xii.  28]:  "  On  the  path  of  righteousness  there 
is  life  "  ;  the  wise,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xiii.  14]:  "  The  instruc- 
tion of  the  wise  is  a  source  of  life  "  ;  light,  as  it  is  written  [Job, 
xxxiii.  30]:  "  In  the  light  of  life." 

MisiiNA  E.  Ten  miracles  were  wrought  for  our  fath- 
ers in  Egypt,  and  ten  by  the  sea. 

MiSHNA  G.  Ten  miracles  were  wrought  in  the  Sanc- 
tuary :  No  woman  miscarried  from  the  scent  of  the  holy 
meat,  and  the  holy  meat  never  stank ;  and  a  fly  was  not 
seen  in  the  slaughter-house ;  and  an  unclcanncss  befell 
not  the  high-priest  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  ;  and  a 
defect  was  not  found  in  the  sheep,  nor  in  the  two  loaves, 
nor  in  the  shew-bread  ;  and  rains  did  not  extinguish  the 
fire  of  the  fuel  heaped  upon  the  altar,  and  wind  prevailed 
not  against  the  pillar  of  smoke  ;  they  stood  serried,  and 
bowed  down  at  ease  ;  and  serpent  and  scorpion  harmed 
not  in  Jerusalem,  and  a  man  never  said  to  his  fellow, 
"  The  place  is  too  strait  for  mc  to  lodge  in  Jerusalem." 


ii6  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

MiSHNA  H.  Ten  things  were  created  at  twilight  of 
the  eve  of  Sabbath  :  the  mouth  of  the  earth  and  the 
mouth  of  the  well,  and  the  mouth  of  the  ass,  and  the  bow, 
and  the  manna,  and  the  rod,  and  the  Shomir  worm,  and 
the  character  and  the  writing,  and  the  tables.  And  some 
say  the  evil  spirits  also  ;  and  the  sepulchre  of  Moses,  and 
the  ram  of  Abraham  our  father ;  and  some  say  the  first 
tongs  with  which  subsequently  other  tongs  were  made. 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*Ten  miracles  were  performed  for  our  forefathers  in  Jeru- 
salem: The  holy  meat  was  never  spoiled;  no  woman  miscarried 
from  the  scent  of  the  holy  meat;  no  one  was  ever  injured;  no 
accident  ever  happened  to  any  one;  no  one  ever  stumbled;  no 
conflagration  ever  occurred;  no  rain  was  ever  there;  no  man 
ever  said :  "  I  could  find  no  oven  wherein  to  roast  the  paschal 
lamb";  no  man  ever  said:  "  I  could  find  no  bed  wherein  to 
sleep";  no  man  ever  said  to  another:  "  I  could  find  no  quar- 
ters in  which  to  pass  the  night." 

Jerusalem  never  was  defiled  by  leprosy,  nor  condemned  as  a 
misled  cit}^;  no  ledges,  galleries,  or  channels  could  be  built  on 
the  public  streets,  because  they  would  form  a  tent  for  unclean- 
ness;  a  corpse  could  not  be  left  there  over  night,  nor  human 
bones  be  carried  through  the  streets,  and  no  stranger  was  per- 
mitted to  settle  within  its  walls.  No  graves  could  be  maintained 
there  except  those  of  the  house  of  David  and  the  prophetess 
Huldah,  which  existed  since  the  days  of  the  early  prophets.  It 
was  said  that  there  was  a  grotto  which  caused  the  uncleanness  to 
run  into  the  brook  Kidron.  No  plants  must  be  planted  there, 
and  no  gardens  or  parks  might  be  laid  out  there,  except  gardens 
of  roses,  which  existed  there  since  the  days  of  the  early  prophets. 
No  geese  nor  hens  might  be  bred  there,  much  less  swine;  no 
dung  might  remain  there,  because  of  defilement.  A  stubborn 
and  rebellious  son  is  not  judged  there,  such  is  the  decree  of  R. 
Nathan,  for  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxi.  19] :  "  Then  shall  his  father 
and  his  mother  lay  hold  on  him,  and  bring  him  out  unto  the 
elders  of  his  city,  and  unto  the  gate  of  his  place  "  ;  but  as  they 
are  not  his  city  and  place,  he  cannot  be  judged.     Houses  can- 

*  Chapter  XXXV.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  1,7 

not  be  sold  there  together  with  the  ground  on  which  they  stand. 
No  house  can  remain  as  a  permanent  possession  after  a  twelve- 
month. No  rent  may  be  taken  for  houses,  but  it  may  be  for 
beds  and  mattresses.  Said  R.  Jehudah:  "  It  is  not  allowed  to 
take  rent  even  for  that."  What  did  they  do  with  the  skins  of 
the  holocaust  ?  They  were  given  to  the  lodging-house  keepers. 
R.  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel  said:  "  The  innkeepers  were  in  the  inside 
and  the  lodging-house  keepers  on  the  outside.  The  innkeepers 
used  to  buy  sheep,  having  nice  wool,  for  four  to  five  selahs,  and 
sell  them  to  the  Jerusalemites,  and  made  big  profits  on  them." 

One  verse  says:  "  In  one  of  thy  tribes  "  [Deut.  xii.  14];  and 
another  says:  "Out  of  all  your  tribes"  [ibid.,  ibid.  5].  The 
first  relates  to  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  and  the  second 
to  Jerusalem,  v/hich  belongs  to  all  Israel.  What  belonged  to 
Judah  ?  The  Temple  Mount,  the  chambers,  and  the  outer 
courts;  and  to  Benjamin  belonged  the  Temple,  the  porch,  and 
the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  a  triangle  extended  into  the  part  of 
Judah  in  which  the  altar  was  built.  Benjamin  was  favored,  and 
became  the  host  of  the  Mightiness,  as  it  is  written  [ibid,  xxxiii. 
12]:  "  And  between  his  shoulders  will  he  dwell." 

Said  R.  Jehudah:  At  the  time  when  it  became  known  tliat 
the  Temple  would  be  built  on  the  boundaries  of  Judah  and  Ben- 
jamin, they  had  improved  and  separated  the  suburb  of  Jericlio. 
And  who  ate  its  products  all  these  years  ?  The  children  of  th.e 
Kenite,  the  father-in-law  of  INIoses,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  x.  32]: 
It  shall  be,  that  the  same  goodness  which  the  Lord  may  do 
unto  us  v/ill  we  do  unto  thee."  However,  w-hen  the  Tcm})le  was 
built,  they  vacated.  And  whence  do  we  know  that  they  were 
sustained  by  charity  ?  They  said:  "  When  the  Lord  will  icveal 
His  Shekhina,  He  will  reward  Jcthro  and  his  children,  as  it  is 
written  [ibid.,  ibid,  29]:  For  the  Lord  hath  spoken  (to  bring) 
good  upon  Israel."  Said  R.  Simeon  :  They  were  prominent  men 
and  were  proprietors  of  houses,  fields,  and  vineyards.  However, 
because  of  the  work  of  the  Lord  they  left  everything  and  went 
away,  as  it  is  written  [I  Chron.  iv.  23]:  "  There  were  the  pot- 
ters, and  those  that  dwelt  in  plantations,"  etc.  They  dwelt 
with  the  king  in  his  work.  And  where  did  they  then  go  ?  To 
Jabez,  to  study  the  Torah,  and  thus  have  become  a  people  of 
the  Omnipotent.  Jabez  was  a  very  good  and  righteous  man: 
he  was  a  truthful  man  and  pious,  and  occupied  himself  w  ith  the 
study  of  the  Law;  therefore  the  pious  went  to  a  pious, 

"  Ten  miracles  were  wrought,  etc.;  and  an  uncleanness  befell 


ii8  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

7iot  the  high-priest  on  the  Day  of  At07ienient  " — except  R.  Ishmael 
b.  Kimchitli,  who  went  out  to  converse  with  a  certain  dignitary, 
and  some  sahva  dropped  out  of  his  mouth  on  his  garments;  and 
his  brother  entered  and  officiated  as  high-priest  in  his  stead,  and 
their  mother  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  two  sons  as  high- 
priests  on  the  same  day. 

The  sages  saw  her,  and  said  to  her:  "  What  piety  hast  thou 
practised?"  And  she  rejoined:  "The  ceilings  of  my  house 
never  saw  my  hair." 

"  No  woman  miscarried.''  It  never  happened  that  there  was 
anything  left  of  the  holy  meat;  and  when  they  ate  too  much  of 
it,  they  drank  the  waters  of  Shiloach,  which  assisted  digestion. 

"  And  a  defect  was  not  found,''  etc.  Broken  earthen  vessels 
were  sunk  in  the  ground. 

"And  wind  prevailed  not,"  etc.  And  when  the  pillar  of 
smoke  went  up  from  the  sacrificial  altar,  the  smoke  went  up 
straight  as  a  staff  until  it  reached  the  clouds;  but  the  pillar  of 
the  incense  went  up  from  the  golden  altar  in  the  direction  of.  the 
Holy  of  Holies. 

' '  TJiey  stood  serried  and  bowed  doivn, ' '  etc.  When  the  Israel- 
ites came  up  to  kneel  before  their  Father  in  Heaven,  it  was  so 
that  they  were  compact  and  no  one  could  put  his  finger  between 
them,  but  when  kneeling  every  one  had  ample  space.  The 
greatest  wonder  of  all  was,  that  even  when  a  hundred  people 
entered  at  once  there  was  no  need  for  the  inspectors  of  the  syn- 
agogue to  proclaim:  "  Make  room  for  your  brother!"  (Some 
think  that)  the  greatest  wonder  of  all  was,  that  when  all  stood 
up  in  prayer  they  were  compact  and  no  one  could  put  his  finger 
between  them,  but  when  they  bowed  there  was  a  space  of  a 
man's  height  between  them. 

Said  Rabban  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel:  Jerusalem  is  destined  that 
all  the  nations  and  kingdoms  should  be  gathered  together  in  it, 
as  it  is  written  [Jer.  iii.  17]:  "  And  all  the  nations  shall  be  gath- 
ered unto  it,  to  the  name  of  the  Lord  " ;  and  further:  "  Let  the 
waters  be  gathered  together"  [Gen.  i.  9].  As  "  the  gathering 
together"  there  means  that  all  the  waters  of  creation  shall  be 
in  one  place,  so  also  "  the  gathering  together"  here  means  that 
all  the  nations  and  kingdoms  shall  be  assembled  in  it. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  119 

TosepJitJia — A  both  of  R.  Nathan. 

*  "  The  wen  of  Sodotn  " — have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come, 
and  they  are  not  judged,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xiii.  13]:  "  But 
the  men  of  Sodom  were  wicked  and  sinners  before  the  Lord 
exceedingly."  "Wicked" — one  with  another;  "sinners" — 
in  consanguinity;  "before  the  Lord" — inasmuch  as  they  des- 
ecrated the  name  of  God;  "exceedingly" — they  did  all  that 
intentionally.  And  it  is  written  [Ps.  i.  5]:  "Therefore  shall 
the  wicked  not  be  able  to  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor  sinners  in 
the  congregation  of  the  righteous."  The  first  part  of  the  pas- 
sage relates  to  the  generation  of  the  flood,  and  the  second  to 
the  men  of  Sodom.  R.  Nehemiah  said:  "  Even  in  the  concrre- 
gation  of  the  wicked  they  are  not  included,  as  it  is  written  [ibid. 
civ.  35] :  '  May  the  sinners  cease  from  off  the  earth,  and  the 
wicked  be  no  more.' 

Small  children  of  the  wicked  have  no  share  in  the  world  to 
come,  and  are  not  judged,  as  it  is  written  [Mai.  iii.  19]:  "  For, 
behold,  the  day  is  coming  which  shall  burn  as  an  oven  . 
who  will  not  leave  them  root  or  bough."  Such  is  the  dictum  of 
R.  Eliezer.  R.  Joshua,  however,  said:  They  are  included, 
and  the  words,  "  who  will  not  leave  them  root  or  bough,"  refer 
to  their  own  bodies,  as  it  is  written  [Dan.  iv.  11]:  "  He  called 
with  might,  and  thus  he  said :  Hew  down  the  tree  and  lop  off  its 
branches,  strip  off  its  leaves  and  scatter  its  fruit  "  ;  and  further 
[ibid.  12]:  "Nevertheless  leave  the  body  of  its  roots  in  the 
earth,  but  (bound)  with  fetters  of  iron  and  copper."  As  in  both 
passages  roots  are  mentioned,  and  as  the  roots  mentioned  there 
refer  to  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  so  the  roots  here  refer  to  the 
body  of  man.  If  so,  what  do  the  words,  "  who  will  not  leave 
them  root  or  bough,"  imply  ?  That  no  reward  shall  be  found 
on  which  they  could  depend. 

Others  say:  "  They  are  included,  and  to  them  refers  what  is 
written  [Is.  xliv.  5]:  "  This  one  will  say,  I  belong  to  the  Lord; 
and  the  other  will  call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob;  and  the 
other  will  inscribe  himself  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and 
surname  himself  by  the  name  of  Israel."  "  This  one  will  say, 
I  belong  to  the  Lord,"  refers  to  the  perfectly  righteous;  "  and 
the  other  will  call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob  "  refers  to  the 
small  children  of  the  wicked;  "  and  the  other  will  inscribe  him- 

*  Chapter  XXXVI.  of  the  original. 


120  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

self  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord  "  refers  to  the  wicked  who  left 
off  their  wickedness,  turned  back,  and  repented;  and,  "and 
surname  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob  "  refers  to  proselytes. 

Korah  and  his  company  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come, 
and  are  not  judged,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  xvi.  33] :  "  And  the 
earth  closed  over  them,  and  they  disappeared  from  the  midst  of 
the  congregation."  Such  is  the  decision  of  R.  Eliezer.  R. 
Joshua,  however,  said:  "They  are  included,  and  the  words, 
*  The  Lord  killeth,  and  maketh  alive:  he  bringeth  down  to  the 
grave,  and  bringeth  up '  [I  Samuel,  ii.  6],  have  reference  to 
them,  because  here  is  mentioned  the  grave,  as  it  is  written 
[Numb.  xvi.  33]:  '  And  they  went  down,  they  and  all  they  that 
appertained  to  them,  alive  into  the  pit.'  *  Also  there  it  is  men- 
tioned, in  both  cases  the  bringing  up  from  the  grave  is  included." 
Said  R.  Eliezer  to  him  :  "  If  so,  how  are  we  to  understand,  '  And 
the  earth  closed  over  them  and  they  disappeared  from  the  midst 
of  the  congregation  '  ?  "  He  answered:  "  We  are  to  understand 
that  they  disappeared  from  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  but 
not  from  the  world  to  come." 

The  generation  of  the  desert  have  no  share  in  the  vv^orld  to 
come,  and  are  not  judged,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xiv.  35]:  "In 
this  wilderness  shall  they  be  spent,  and  therein  shall  they  die  "  ; 
and  further  [Ps.  xcv.  11]:  "So  that  I  sware  in  my  wrath  that 
they  should  not  enter  into  my  rest."  Such  is  the  dictum  of 
R.  Eliezer.  R.  Joshua,  hov/ever,  said:  "They  are  included, 
and  the  words,  '  Gather  together  unto  me  my  pious  servants, 
who  make  a  covenant  with  me  by  sacrifice '  [Ps.  1,  5],  have  ref- 
erence to  them."  Said  R.  Eliezer  to  him:  "  If  so,  how  dost 
thou  explain  the  words,  '  so  that  I  sware  in  my  wrath  '  ? "  He 
answered  that  this  had  reference  to  the  spies,  and  all  equally 
wicked  of  that  generation.  "  But,"  continued  R.  Joshua,  "  I 
am  anxious  to  know  how  thou  dost  apply  the  words:  *  Gather 
together.'  "  "I  apply  them,"  said  the  other,  "  to  Moses, 
Aaron,  the  pious  of  the  generation,  and  the  tribe  of  Levi."  R. 
Jose  the  Galilean  said :  "  They  are  not  included,  for  it  is  written 
[Numb.  xiv.  35]  :  '  In  this  wilderness  shall  they  be  spent,  and 
therein  shall  they  die  ' ;  and  further  [Deut.  xxi.  4]  :  '  And  they 
shall  break  there  the  neck  of  the  heifer  in  the  valley.'  As  the 
word  '  there  '  mentioned  here  means  that  it  shall  die  and  not  be 
moved  from  its  place,   so  also  the  '  there '  mentioned  in  that 

*  The  Hebrew  term  for  both  "grave  "  and  "  pit "  is  sheol^  hence  the  analogy. 


TRACT  ABOTH.  121 

passage  means  that  they  shall  die  and  not  be  moved  from  their 
places."  An  objection  was  raised,  namely:  Is  in  that  passage 
the  word  "there"  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  wicked 
only,  and  not  with  the  upright  ?  Is  it  not  said  [Gen.  xlix.  31]: 
"  There  they  buried  Abraham  and  Sarah  his  wife  "  ;  and  further 
[ibid.  5]  :  "  In  my  grave,  which  I  have  dug  for  me  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  tJicre  shalt  thou  bury  mc  "  ;  and  also  [Numb.  xx.  i]: 
"And  Miriam  died  there  and  was  buried  //^rrr  "  /  and  further 
[ibid,  xxxiii.  38]:  "And  Aaron  the  priest  went  up  .  .  . 
and  died  there'' ;  and  further  [Deut.  xxxiv.  5]:  "And  Moses 
the  servant  of  the  Lord  died  there  in  the  land  of  Moab,  accord- 
ing to  the  order  of  the  Lord  "  ?  Said  Rabban  Gamaliel:  It  is 
written  [Deut.  xi.  21] :  "  In  order  that  your  days  may  be  multi- 
plied, and  the  days  of  your  children  in  the  land  which  the  Lord 
sware  unto  your  fathers  to  give  unto  them."  It  refers  to  the 
resurrection,  when  the  parents  and  the  children  both  will  enjoy 
the  same  longevity.  R.  Jose  the  Galilean  sides  with  R.  Eliezer, 
and  R,  Gamaliel  sides  with  R.  Joshua. 

The  ten  tribes  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come,  and  are 
not  judged,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxix.  27]:  "  And  the  Lord 
plucked  them  out  of  their  land  .  .  .  and  he  cast  them  into 
another  land,  as  it  is  this  day."  Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Jacob: 
"  As  the  day  in  v/hich  they  have  rebelled  will  never  return,  even 
so  will  they  not  return."  R.  Aqiba,  however,  said:  "  As  the 
day  is  first  dark  and  then  lightens  up,  so  also  their  darkness  will 
be  followed  by  light." 

The  follov/ing  seven  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come:  A 
scribe,  a  teacher  of  little  children,  even  the  best  of  physicians, 
the  city  judge,  the  store-keeper,  the  beadle,  and  the  butcher. 

There  are  three  kings  and  four  commoners  who  have  no  share 
in  the  world  to  come.  The  three  kings  are:  Jeroboam,  Achab, 
and  Menassch  ;  the  four  commoners  are:  Balaam,  Doeg,  Achito- 
phel,  and  Gechazi.  Said  R.  Jehudah  :  Menasseh  has  already  re- 
pented, as  it  is  written  [II  Chron.  xxxiii.  13] :  "  And  he  prayed 
unto  him,  and  he  permitted  himself  to  be  entreated  by  him 
.  and  brought  him  back  to  Jerusalem,  unto  his  kingdom." 
They  argued  against  him  thus:  "  Had  the  verse  stated  merely, 
'  and  brought  him  back  to  Jerusalem,'  we  would  then  agree  with 
thee,  but  since  it  is  added,  '  unto  his  kingdom,'  it  can  be  said 
that  He  returned  him  to  Ills  kingdom,  but  not  to  a  life  in  the 
world  to  come." 

Said  R.  Meir:  "  Absalom  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come." 


122  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar:  "  Achaz,  Achaziah,  and  all  the  kings 
of  Israel  who  were  wicked  have  no  share  in  the  world  to  come." 
Said  R.  Johnan  b.  Nuri:  "  Also  one  who  pronounces  the  Name 
as  it  is  written  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come." 

He  used  to  say:  "  One  who  scans  the  Song  of  Songs  (like  a 
secular  poem),  and  one  who  cannot  speak  above  whispering  or 
has  turned  yellow  in  consequence  of  a  wound  or  recites  (in  ridi- 
cule) the  passage,  '  I  will  put  none  of  those  diseases  upon  them,* 
etc.  [Gen.  xv.  26],  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come."  And 
the  sages  say:  Every  disciple  who  has  studied,  and  then  aban- 
dons his  studies,  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Numb.  XV.  31]:  "  Because  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath  he 
despised";  and  further  [Jer.  ii.  5]:  "What  fault  did  your 
fathers  find  in  me,  that  they  went  away  far  from  me  ? " 

R.  Meir  said:  "  Whoever  does  not  visit  the  college  which  is 
in  his  city  has  no  share  in  the  world  to  come  " ;  and  R.  Aqiba 
said:  "  Also  those  who  do  not  serve  the  sasfes. " 


MiSHNA  /.  Seven  things  mark  the  clod,*  and  seven 
there  are  for  the  sage.  The  wise  man  does  not  speak 
before  those  who  surpass  him  in  wisdom  and  years ;  he 
does  not  interrupt  another  in  his  speech,  he  is  not  hasty 
in  answering;  he  does  not  ask  questions  rashly  ;  asks  with 
propriety  and  to  the  point ;  speaks  first  upon  the  matter 
first  in  order,  and  last  upon  last ;  when  he  does  not  under- 
stand the  matter  under  discussion,  he  confesses,  "  I  do  not 
understand  it " ;  and  admits  it  when  he  has  been  con- 
vinced.    The  opposite  of  these  things  mark  the  clod. 

Tosephtha — Ahoth  of  R.  Nathan. 

f  There  are  seven  creations  of  as  many  grades  of  importance. 
The  sky  is  very  important;  but  more  important  are  the  stars, 
because  they  light  up  the  world.  Of  a  higher  grade  than  the 
stars  are  the  trees,  because  they  produce  fruit,  and  the  stars  do 
not.  More  significant  than  the  trees  are  the  pernicious  winds, 
because  they  move  hither  and  thither,  and  the  trees  do  not. 
Greater  than  the  pernicious  winds  is  the  beast,  for  the  beast  is 

*  According  to  Maimonides.  f  Chapter  XXXVII.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  123 

active  and  eats,  which  the  former  cannot  do.  Of  a  higher  kind 
of  development  is  man;  for  man  is  intellectual,  and  the  beast  is 
not.  More  excellent  than  man  are  the  ministering  angels;  for 
they  are  able  to  traverse  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  another, 
which  man  cannot  do. 

Man  possesses  six  qualifications  three  of  which  belong  also 
to  the  beast,  and  three  to  the  angels:  Man  eats  and  drinks,  mul- 
tiplies, and  excretes  just  like  a  beast;  but  he  is  endowed  with 
intellect,  walks  erect,  and  speaks  in  the  holy  language,  just  as 
the  angels  do. 

The  evil  spirits  (Shedim ;  Deut.  xxxii.  17)  possess  six  quali- 
fications three  of  which  belong  to  man,  and  three  to  the  angels; 
namely,  they  eat  and  drink,  multiply,  and  die  as  men  do;  but 
they  have  wings,  a  knowledge  of  the  future,  and  traverse  from 
one  end  of  the  world  to  another,  just  as  the  angels  do.*  There 
are  others  who  say :  They  also  can  assume  any  shape  and  form 
they  like,  and  see  but  are  not  seen. 

The  rabbis  taught :  f  There  are  seven  sorts  of  hypocrites  (who 
try  to  show  themselves  as  if  they  were  of  the  true  Pharisees), 
and  they  are:  Shichmi;  Niqpi ;  Qoosai ;  Medukhia;  "What 
more  is  my  duty,  and  I  will  do  it?";  Pharisee  of  love;  and 
Pharisee  of  fear. 

Shichmi — i.e.,  who  acts  like  Shechem  (Gen.  xxxiv.),  (who 
allowed  himself  to  be  circumcised,  not  to  please  God  but  for  his 
own  benefit).  Niqpi — i.e.,  one  who  walks  tiptoe  (so  that  he 
strikes  his  feet  against  stones  or  other  obstacles  in  the  way), 
in  order  to  show  his  meekness  and  thereby  attract  attention. 
Qoosai — i.e.,  one  who  shows  himself  as  walking  with  his  eyes 
shut  in  order  not  to  look  upon  women,  and  strikes  his  head 
against  a  wall  and  bleeds.  Such  is  the  interpretation  of  R.  Nah- 
man  b.  Itz'hak.  Medukhia — i.e.,  who  so  bends  his  body  while 
walking  that  he  resembles  a  pestle.  Such  is  the  interpretation 
of  Rabba  b.  Shila.  "  What  more  is  my  duty,"'  etc.  Why  is  this 
hypocrisy  ?  It  means  that  he  is  boasting  of  having  done  eveiy 
possible  good  thing,  and  challenges  that  he  shall  be  told  what 
more  there  is  to  be  done  and  he  will  do  it.  "  Pharisee  of  loi'e," 
etc.     Abayi  and   Rabha  both  said  to  the  scholar  who  repeated 


*  See  Section  Moed,  Vol.  VI.,  Ilagiga,  37.  The  repetition  here  is  because  of 
this  addition. 

f  Here  is  a  statement  which  is  repeated  in  Tmct  Sota,  iih,  under  the  head- 
injr;  "The  rabbis  taught."  As  there  it  is  more  comprehensible,  wc  prefer  to  give 
it  here  in  that  form. 


124  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

this:  "  Do  not  place  love  and  fear  with  the  hypocrites,  as  R. 
Jehudah  said  in  the  name  of  Rabh :  '  Always  shall  one  occupy 
himself  with  Torah  and  merits  even  not  for  the  sake  of  Heaven, 
for  once  he  makes  it  his  custom  to  do  so  he  will  finally  come  to 
do  it  for  the  sake  of  Heaven.'  " 

Said  R.  Nahman  b.  Itz'hak:  "  That  which  is  hidden  (in  one's 
heart)  is  only  so  from  human  beings,  but  not  from  Heaven ;  and 
even  visible  hypocrisy  can  only  be  punished  by  the  Upper 
Court."  Said  Janai  the  king  to  his  wife:  "  Do  not  fear  of  the 
Pharisees,  neither  of  those  who  claim  to  be  their  opponents; 
but  do  fear  of  the  colored  ones  (who  put  on  false  colors),  who 
in  reality  act  like  Zimri  (Numb,  xxv.),  and  demand  the  reward 
of  Phinehas." 

There  are  seven  things  which,  if  used  moderately,  are  whole- 
some to  the  body,  and  if  in  excess,  are  the  reverse :  Wine,  work, 
sleep,  wealth,  travel,  warm  water,  and  the  letting  of  blood. 

With  seven  things  God  created  the  world.  They  are  as  fol- 
lows: Wisdom,  understanding,  knowledge,  strength,  might,  kind- 
ness, and  mercy.  And  as  He  has  created  the  world  with  seven 
things,  so  also  has  He  created  seven  ancestors — three  fathers 
and  four  mothers. 

Seven  attributes  are  serving  before  the  Throne  of  Grace,  viz. : 
Faithful,  Righteous,  Justice,  Kind,  Merciful,  Truth,  Peace,  as 
it  is  written  [Hosea,  ii.  2i,  22]:  "  And  I  will  betroth  thee  unto 
me  for  ever:  yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  in  righteousness,  and  in 
justice,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and  in  mercy.  And  I  will  be- 
troth thee  unto  me  in  faithfulness;  and  thou  shalt  know  the 
Lord";  and  further  [Ps.  Ixxxv.  11]:  "  Kindness  and  truth  are 
encountered  together;  righteousness  and  peace  kiss  each  other." 
And  what  signifies,  "  and  thou  shalt  know  the  Lord  "  ?  Any 
one  who  is  possessed  of  these  attributes  has  a  knowledge  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  Omnipotent. 

There  are  seven  dwelling-places:  The  high,  the  low,  the  at- 
mosphere, and  the  four  winds.  Said  R.  Meir:  There  are  seven 
heavens:  Curtain,  firmament,  welkin,  dwelling-house,  habita- 
tion, settled  place,  nebulae.  Accordingly  the  earth  has  seven 
names :  Land,  earth,  realm,  dry  land,  globe,  and  nether  world. 
Why  is  it  so  named  ?  Because  it  is  seasoned  with  every  thing. 
Others  say,  because  it  destroys  all. 

"  A  wise  man  does  not  speak  before  those  zvho  surpass  Jiiin  in 
wisdom  arid  years.''  This  refers  to  Moses,  as  it  is  written  [Ex. 
iv.  30]:  "  And  Aaron  spoke  all  the  words  which  the  Lord  had 


TRACT   ABOTH.  125 

spoken  unto  Moses,  and  he  did  the  signs  before  the  eyes  of  the 
people."  Now,  then,  who  of  the  two  was  competent  to  speak  ? 
Naturally,  Moses;  for  he  had  the  message  direct  from  God,  and 
Aaron  only  heard  it  from  Moses.  But  Moses  considered  that  it 
was  not  seemly  to  speak  in  the  presence  of  his  elder  brother;  he 
therefore  conferred  upon  Aaron  the  honor  of  being  speaker, 

"  Does  not  interrupt,''  etc. — refers  to  Aaron,  as  it  is  written 
[Lev.  X.  19]:  "  And  Aaron  spoke  unto  Moses:  Behold,  this  day 
have  they  offered  their  sin-offering,  and  their  burnt-offering," 
etc.  He  was  silent  till  Moses  ceased  speaking,  and  did  not  even 
say  to  Moses  to  be  brief  in  his  utterances.  There  are  others 
who  say  that  Aaron  took  him  aside  and  said:  "My  brother 
Moses,  tithes,  which  are  less  important  than  any  other  offering, 
a  mourner  (before  the  burial  of  the  dead)  is  prohibited  from  eat- 
ing them;  a  sin-offering,  which  is  of  great  importance,  so  much 
the  more  should  it  be  forbidden  to  him."  And  Moses  at  once 
admitted  that  he  was  right,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  20]:  "And 
when  Moses  heard  this,  it  was  pleasing  in  his  eyes,"  and  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Mightiness. 

"  And  he  was  angry  with  Elazar  and  Ithamar  the  sons  of 
Aaron  "  [ibid.  16].  Learn  from  this  that  when  one  teaches  his 
disciples  he  usually  keeps  his  eyes  on  the  great  one,  and  when 
he  is  angry,  he  turns  his  anger  to  the  one  who  is  least :  for  he 
was  angry  even  with  Aaron. 

Aaron  was  older  than  Moses,  and  the  Lord  is  greater  than 
Aaron,  and  why  did  He  not  speak  to  Aaron  ?  Because  his  other 
sons  did  not  prevent  Nadab  and  Abihu  from  committing  a  sin. 

We  find  with  Abraham  our  father,  when  he  was  praying  for 
the  men  of  Sodom,  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  said:  "  If 
I  find  in  Sodom  fifty  righteous  within  the  city,  then  will  I  spare 
the  whole  place  for  their  sake  "  [Gen.  xviii.  26].  The  One  who 
said:  "There  shall  be  the  world,"  very  well  knew  that  there 
were  not  in  Sodom  even  four  or  five  righteous,  only  He  waited 
till  Abraham  finished,  and  then  answered  him,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.  33]:  "And  the  Lord  went  away  when  he  had  finished 
speaking  with  Abraham  ;  and  Abraham  returned  unto  his  place." 

"  He  is  not  hasty  in  ansii'ering"  —rcicr?,  to  Elihu  the  son  of 
Barachel  the  Buzite,  as  it  is  written  [Job,  xxxii.  7]  :  "  I  had 
said.  Days  shall  speak."  Infer  from  this  that  they  were  sitting 
silently  before  Job.  When  he  rose,  they  also  arose;  when  he 
sat  down,  they  did  likewise;  when  he  ate  or  drank,  they  did  as 
he  did,  until  Job  asked  their  permission  to  speak,  as  it  is  writ- 


126  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

ten  [ibid.  iii.  1-3] :  "  And  after  this  time  Job  opened  his  mouth, 
and  cursed  his  day.  .  .  .  Let  that  day  whereon  I  was  born 
perish,  and  the  night  when  it  was  said,  There  hath  been  a  male 
child  conceived."  The  night  when  my  mother  came  to  my 
father  and  told  him  that  she  was  pregnant  shall  perish.  And 
whence  do  we  know  that  they  did  not  all  speak  at  once  ?  As  it 
is  written  [ibid.  2]:  "And  Job  commenced,  and  said";  and, 
"  Then  answered  Eliphaz  the  Themanite,  and  said  "  [ibid.  iv.  i]  ; 
and,  "  Then  answered  Bildad  the  Shuchite,  and  said  "  [ibid.  viii. 
l] ;  and,  "Then  answered  Zophar  the  Naamathite,  and  said" 
[ibid.  xi.  i];  and,  "  And  Elihu  the  son  of  Barachel  the  Buzite 
commenced,  and  said"  [ibid,  xxxii.  6].  Scripture  has  enumer- 
ated them  one  by  one  for  the  purpose  of  informing  all  who  come 
into  the  world  that  the  wise  does  not  speak  before  one  who  is 
greater  than  he. 

"  Ajid  does  not  interrupt  anotJier  in  his  speech  ;  asks  with  pro- 
priety"— refers  to  Jehudah,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xliii.  9]:  "I 
will  be  surety  for  him." 

"Asks  nmvarranted'' — refers  to  Reuben,  as  it  is  written 
[ibid.  xlii.  37]:  "  And  Reuben  said  unto  his  father,  thus:  Two 
of  my  sons  shalt  thou  slay." 

"  Speaks  first  upon  the  matter  zvhich  is  first  in  order,''  etc. — 
refers  to  Jacob.  Others  say  to  Rebecca,  and  still  others  say  to 
the  men  of  Haran. 

"  And  says :  '  I  have  not  heard  it, '  when  he  actually  did  not 
hear  " — refers  to  Moses,  as  it  is  written  [Numb.  ix.  7,  8]:  "  And 
these  men  said  unto  him  .  .  .  and  Moses  said  unto  them. 
Wait  ye,  and  I  will  hear  what  the  Lord,"  etc. 

"Admits  the  truth'' — also  refers  to  Moses,  as  it  is  written 
[Lev.  X.  20]:  "  And  when  Moses  heard  this,  it  was  pleasing  in 
his  eyes."  Also  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  confessed  to  the 
truth,  as  it  is  written  [Numb,  xxvii.  7]:  "  The  daughters  of 
Zelophchad  speak  rightly." 

MiSHNAy.  Seven  kinds  of  punishments  come  on  ac- 
count of  seven  cardinal  transgressions.  When  some  men 
tithe,  and  some  do  not  tithe,  dearth  comes  from  drought ; 
some  of  them  are  hungry,  and  some  of  them  are  satiated. 
When  they  have  not  tithed  at  all,  a  dearth  comes  from 
tumult  and  from  drought.  And  when  they  have  not  sepa- 
rated the  first  dough,  a  deadly  dearth  comes. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  127 

MisiiNA  K.  Pestilence  comes  unto  the  world  for  the 
capital  crimes  mentioned  in  the  Torah,  which  are  not  to 
be  brought  before  the  tribunal,*  and  for  the  seventh-year 
fruits. 

MisiiNA  Z.  The  sword  comes  upon  the  world  for 
suppression  or  perversion  of  judgment,  and  also  for  false 
interpretation  of  the  Law. 

MisuNA  M.  Noisome  beasts  come  into  the  world  for 
vain  swearing,  and  for  profanation  of  the  Name.  Cap- 
tivity comes  upon  the  world  for  idolatry,  for  incest  and  for 
sheddine  of  blood,  and  for  not  obscrvinof  the  Sabbatical 
year. 

MiSHNA  N.  At  four  seasons  the  pestilence  v/axes:  in 
the  fourth  year,  in  the  Sabbatical  year  ;  at  the  ending  of 
the  latter,  and  at  the  ending  of  the  Feast  in  every  year — 
in  the  fourth,  on  account  of  the  poor's  tithe  in  the  third  ;  in 
the  seventh,  on  account  of  the  poor's  tithe  in  the  sixth  ; 
and  at  the  ending  of  the  seventh,  on  account  of  the  fruit 
of  the  Sabbatical  year ;  and  at  the  ending  of  the  feast  in 
every  year,  on  account  of  the  largesses  of  the  poor. 

Toscphtha—Aboth  of  R,  lYat/ian. 

•f"  Seven  kinds  of  cJiastiscinents,''  etc.  Said  R.  Jose:  Be- 
cause of  the  sin  of  the  first  dough,  there  is  no  blessing  in  the 
fruit,  and  the  people  are  delivered  into  the  hands  of  their  ene- 
mies, as  it  is  written  [Lev.  xxvi.  16]:  "  And  ye  shall  sow  in  vain 
your  seed;  for  your  enemies  shall  eat  it."  For  the  sin  of  offer- 
ings and  tithes  the  heavens  withheld  the  rain  and  dew,  as  it  is 
written  [Job,  xxiv.  19]:  "  Drought  and  heat  speedily  consume 
the  snow  waters,"  etc. 

A  plague  comes  to  the  world  because  of  the  sin  of  gleanings, 
forgotten  sheaves,  the  corners  and  the  tithes  for  the  poor. 

It  happened  that  a  woman  who  was  the  neighbor  of  a  land- 
owner sent  her  two  children  to  glean  in  his  field,  but  he  did  not 


*  According  to  Rashi,  it  means  when  the  Jewish  tribunal  ceased  its  existence 
during  the  last  years  of  the  Second  Temple  ;  and  according  to  other  commentaries  it 
means  Kareth  and  heavenly  death,  with  which  the  eartliiy  tribunals  had  nothing  to  do. 

f  Chapter  XXXVIII.  of  the  original. 


128  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

let  them.  In  their  absence  their  mother  wished  that  they  return 
home,  thinking  they  might  bring  something  to  eat;  and  they, 
too,  wished  to  return  home,  thinking  that  their  mother  might 
have  something  to  give  them  to  eat.  Coming  home  empty- 
handed  and  finding  nothing  at  home  to  eat,  the  disappointment 
and  the  sorrow  all  around  were  so  great  that  all  three  died  in 
one  day.  Said  the  Lord :  Ye  took  away  their  lives,  I  also  will 
take  away  your  lives,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxii.  22,  23] :  "  Rob 
not  the  poor,  because  he  is  poor,  neither  crush  the  afflicted  in 
the  gate ;  for  the  Lord  will  plead  their  cause,  and  despoil  the 
life  of  those  that  despoil  them." 

"  The  sword  comes  upon  the  world,'"  etc.  When  R.  Simeon  b. 
Gamaliel  and  R.  Ishmael  b.  Elisha  the  high-priest  were  seized 
and  condemned  to  die,  and  the  former  was  wondering  and  say- 
ing: "  Woe  to  us,  that  we  are  to  be  slain  as  intentional  violators 
of  the  Sabbath,  idolaters,  uncoverers  of  consanguinity,  or  blood- 
shedders."  Said  the  latter  to  him:  "  Dost  thou  desire  that  I 
shall  say  something  before  thee  ?  "  And  he  answered:  "  Say!  " 
Whereupon  he  said:  "  Mayhap  when  thou  wert  dining  poor 
people  came  to  thy  door,  but  were  forbidden  to  enter  by  the 
doorkeeper?"  And  R.  Simeon  answered:  "By  heaven,  this 
was  not  done.  On  the  contrary,  watchmen  were  placed  at  my 
door:  when  they  saw  the  poor  approaching,  they  brought  them 
to  my  table  and  were  given  food  and  drink,  and  they  blessed 
heaven."  "  Perhaps  when  thou  wert  sitting  at  the  Temple 
mount  and  lecturing,  and  all  the  multitudes  of  Israel  were  sit- 
ting before  thee,  thou  hadst  become  haughty  for  a  moment  ?" 
"  No,  my  brother  Ishmael,  I  have  never  done  that;  but  man 
should  be  prepared  for  affliction  (without  any  reason  what- 
ever). 

They  then  beseeched  the  executioner  in  the  following  man- 
ner: One  said:  "  I  am  a  priest,  the  son  of  a  high-priest.  Kill 
me  first,  and  spare  me  the  pain  of  seeing  my  colleague  die." 
And  the  other  said:  "  I  am  a  prince,  the  son  of  a  prince.  Kill 
me  first,  and  spare  me  the  pain  of  seeing  my  colleague  die." 
And  he  advised  them  to  cast  lots.  They  did  so,  and  it  fell  on 
Rabban  Simeon  b,  Gamaliel.  Whereupon  the  executioner  took 
the  sword  and  cut  off  his  head.  R.  Ishmael  held  it  to  his  bosom, 
and  wept  and  cried:  "  The  holy  mouth,  the  truthful  mouth, 
a  mouth  whence  issued  precious  stones,  diamonds,  and  pearls, 
who  has  hidden  thee  in  the  dust,  and  who  has  filled  thy  tongue 
with  dust  and  ashes?     Thou  art  meant  in  the  prophetic  excla- 


TRACT  ABOTH.  129 

mation  [Zech.  xiii.  7] :  '  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  shep- 
herd, and  against  the  man  whom  I  have  associated  witli  me.'  " 
Scarcely  had  he  finished  when  also  his  head  was  struck  off.  To 
them  Scripture  refers  when  it  is  said  [Ex.  xxii.  23]:  "  My  wrath 
sliall  wax  hot,  and  I  will  slay  you  with  the  sword;  and  your  wives 
shall  be  widows,  and  your  children  fatherless."  As  the  men 
are  slain,  is  it  not  self-evident  that  the  women  become  widows  ? 
(Why,  then,  does  Scripture  say:  "  And  your  wives  shall  be 
widows"  ?)  To  convey  the  idea  that  they  were  and  were  not 
widows;  i.e.,  there  was  no  evidence  that  the  men  were  killed, 
as  it  happened  in  Bythar,  where  not  a  soul  escaped  to  give  evi- 
dence of  any  man's  death,  and  consequently  the  women  could 
not  marry  again.  "  And  the  children  shall  become  fatherless" 
means  that  they  could  not  inherit  the  property  of  their  father, 
for  the  same  reason. 

Captivity  comes  upon  the  ivorld,''  etc.  Because  of  idol- 
atry, as  it  is  written  [Lev.  xxvi.  30]:  "  And  I  will  destroy  vour 
high  places";  and  [ibid.  33]:  "And  you  will  I  scatter  among 
the  nations";  and  further  [Deut.  iv.  25]:  "  When  thou  beget- 
test  children,"  etc. ;  and  [ibid.  27]:  "  And  the  Lord  will  scatter 
you  among  the  nations";  and  [ibid,  28]:  "And  ye  will  serve 
their  gods,  the  work  of  man's  hands."  The  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  said:  "As  you  are  desirous  of  being  idolatrous,  I  will 
exile  you  to  a  place  where  idolatry  prevails." 

For  not  observing  the  Sabbatical  year.  Whence  do  we 
know  this  ?  It  is  written  [Lev.  xxvi.  34] :  "  Then  shall  the  land 
satisfy  its  Sabbaths,"  etc.  Said  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He: 
"  Because  ye  do  not  observe  the  Sabbatical  year,  the  land  itself 
will  observe  it ;  and  the  number  of  months  that  ye  fail  to  observe 
it,  the  land  itself  will  observe  it."  For  that  reason  it  is  written 
[ibid.]:  "  Then  shall  the  land  satisfy  its  Sabbaths,  all  the  days 
of  its  desolation." 

Tosephtha — A  both  of  R.  Nathatt. 

*  Five  are  not  to  be  forgiven :  The  one  who  sins  relying  that 
he  will  repent,  and  repents  and  sins  again  (and  thus  he  sins  too 
much  and  repents  too  much);  the  one  who  sins  relying  upon  the 
forgiveness  of  the  day  of  atonement ;  and  the  one  who  instigates 
others  to  sin;  and  the  one  who  is  guilty  of  profaning  the  Holy 

*  Chapter  XXXIX.  of  ihc  original. 


130  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Name.  And  were  it  not  for  the  sins  of  mankind,  the  keys  to 
the  mysteries  would  have  been  intrusted  to  man,  and  he  would 
know  by  what  means  earth  and  heaven  were  created  and  also 
what  there  is  above.  R.  Aqiba  used  to  say:  "  Everything  is 
foreseen  and  unconcealed,  and  everything  is  according  to  one's 
understanding, "  He  also  used  to  say  that  everything  was  given 
as  a  pledge,  and  a  net  is  spread  out  for  all  living,  etc.  The  re- 
pentance of  the  wicked  delays  the  execution  of  their  judgment; 
their  verdict,  however,  remains  sealed  until  they  make  restitu- 
tion. The  quietness  of  the  wicked  (without  having  remorse) 
ends  badly.     Superiority  buries  its  claimers. 

A  man  arrives  into  this  world  naked  and  leaves  it  in  the  same 
state,  and  it  is  desirable  that  the  leaving  should  be  as  (sinless) 
as  the  coming.  For  profaning  the  Holy  Name  there  is  no  re- 
pentance pending,  and  the  Day  of  Atonement  does  not  forgive. 
Repentance  forgives  till  the  day  of  death,  and  that  day  wipes  out 
(all  sin).  The  wicked  are  paid  (in  this  world)  and  the  upright  are 
given  credit  (that  is  to  say,  the  wicked  that  have  studied  the 
Law  vvithout  performing  what  is  written  therein  and  otherwise 
have  done  nothing  good,  and  those  upright  that  have  studied 
the  Law  with  a  good  intention  and  have  done  no  evil — these  and 
those  are  given  a  small  portion  of  what  they  earned),  and  the 
greater  part  is  counted  to  them  for  the  future. 

R.  Elazar  b.  Zadoq  says:  The  upright  in  this  world  can  be 
compared  with  a  tree  whose  trunk  grows  on  a  clean  spot,  while 
one  of  its  branches  extends  over  an  unclean  spot,  of  which  peo- 
ple say:  Cut  off  the  branch,  and  the  whole  tree  will  be  on  a  clean 
spot.  The  v/icked  ones  can  be  compared  with  a  tree  standing 
on  an  unclean  spot  and  extending  its  branches  to  a  clean  spot, 
in  which  case,  if  the  branches  would  be  cut  off,  the  whole  tree 
would  stand  on  an  unclean  spot. 

Six  different  names  were  applied  to  the  lion  :  Arjah,  Cphir, 
Lobhi,  Laish,  Sha'hal,  Sha'haz.  Six  names  were  applied  to  the 
serpent;  viz.,  Na'hash,  Soroph,  Tanin,  Ziphoni,  Epheh,  Ach- 
shubh.  Six  names  were  applied  to  Solomon  ;  namely,  Solomon, 
Jedidiah,  Koeleth,  Ben  lokoh,  Ogur,  L'muel. 

MisiiNA  O.  Four  kinds  of  views  are  held  by  men  con- 
cerning property.  He  who  says  :  "  What  belongs  to  me 
shall  continue  to  be  mine,  and  thou  shalt  keep  thine  own," 
holds  the  common  view.     Some  consider  this  the  view  of 


TRACT   ABOTH.  131 

the  men  of  Sodom.*  "  Mine  shall  be  thine,  and  thine  shall 
be  mine,"  thus  say  the  ignorant.  "Mine  shall  be  thine, 
and  thou  shalt  also  keep  thine  own,"  thus  says  the  mag- 
nanimous. "  Thine  shall  be  mine,  and  mine  shall  continue 
to  be  mine,"  are  the  words  of  the  godless. 

MiSHNA  P.  There  are  four  kinds  of  dispositions  among 
men.  Some  are  easily  enraged,  but  as  quickly  soothed 
— there  the  fault  is  neutralized  by  the  merit.  Some  are 
slow  to  anger,  but  are  calmed  only  with  difficulty — there 
the  merit  is  counterbalanced  by  the  fault.  One  is  slow 
to  anger  and  easily  pacified — he  is  of  a  gentle  disposition. 
Anotiier  is  easily  irritated  and  hard  to  soothe — he  is  a 
wicked  man. 

MiSHNA  Q.  There  are  four  kinds  of  pupils  :  one  un- 
derstands readily  but  forgets  soon — there  the  advantage 
is  swallowed  by  the  failing  ;  another  grasps  but  slowly, 
and  seldom  forgets — there  the  failing  is  outweighed  by 
the  talent;  a  third  understands  readily  and  is  slow  to  for- 
get— his  is  a  good  portion  ;  a  fourth  understands  slowly 
and  forgets  quickly — his  is  a  poor  endowment. 

MiSHNA  R.  There  are  four  kinds  of  charity-givers  : 
He  who  gives  but  does  not  care  that  others  should  eive 
— his  eye  is  evil  tovv^ards  others  {i.e.,  the  charity-giver  shall 
not  have  the  pleasure  of  doing  charity  and  the  poor  shall 
be  deprived  of  it)  ;  he  who  makes  others  give,  but  does 
not  give  himself,  does  not  make  the  best  use  of  his  own  ; 
he  who  gives,  and  makes  others  give,  is  pious ;  but  he 
who  neither  gives  nor  suffers  others  to  give  is  a  cruel 
man. 

MisriNA  S.  There  are  four  kinds  of  visitors  of  the 
house  of  learning  :  he  that  goes  and  does  not  practise 
{i.e.,  he  accepts  the  lessons  without  any  examination  or 
study  of  them),  the  reward  of  going  only  remains  with 
him  ;  he  that  practises  (?>.,  he  who  studies  at  home)  and 
does  not  go,  the  reward  of  practice  remains  with  him  ;  he 

*/.<•.,  "  I  do  not  wish  to  derive  benefit  from  others,  and  no  one  shall  derive 
benefit  from  me."     This  was  tlic  method  i)f  llic  Sodomites. 


132  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

that  does  both  is  pious  ;  he  that  enrols  among  the  college 
visitors,  but  neither  goes  nor  practises,  is  wicked. 

MiSHNA  T.  There  are  four  kinds  of  the  disciples  of 
the  wise  :  sponge,  funnel,  strainer,  and  sieve  ;  sponge — 
sucking  up  all  things  ;  funnel — allowing  all  that  is  received 
in  the  one  end  to  flow  out  at  the  other  ;  strainer — letting 
the  wine  run  through  and  retaining  the  dregs ;  sieve — 
blowing  off  the  bran  and  keeping  the  flour. 

MiSHNA  U.  Love,  inspired  by  ulterior  motives,  dies 
out  when  those  motives  disappear ;  but  love  without  such 
motives  never  fades. 

MiSHNA  V.  What  love  is  that  which  is  inspired  by 
ulterior  motives  ?  E.g.,  the  love  of  Amnon  and  Thamar. 
And  what  love  is  without  such  motives  ?  E-g-,  the  love 
of  David  and  Jonathan. 

MiSHNA  W.  Whatsoever  gainsaying  is  for  the  sake  of 
Heaven  will  have  good  results,  and  that  which  is  not  for 
the  sake  of  Heaven  will  not  have  the  desired  result. 

MiSHNA  X.  What  gainsaying  is  that  which  is  for  the 
sake  of  Heaven  ?  E.g.,  the  gainsaying  of  Hillel  and  Sham- 
mai.  And  that  which  is  not  for  the  sake  of  Heaven  ? 
E.g.,  the  gainsaying  of  Korah  and  his  followers. 

MiSHNA  Y.  Whosoever  causes  many  to  be  righteous, 
sin  prevails  not  over  him  ;  and  whosoever  causes  m.any 
to  sin,  they  grant  him  not  the  faculty  to  repent. 

MiSHNA  Z.  Moses,  who  was  righteous  and  caused 
many  to  become  righteous,  the  righteousness  of  the  many 
was  therefore  laid  upon  him,  as  it  is  written  [Deut.  xxxlii. 
2i]  :  "  He  executed  the  justice  of  the  Lord,  and  his  judg- 
ment with  Israel." 

Jeroboam,  who  on  the  contrary  sinned  and  caused  many 
to  sin,  the  sin  of  the  many,  therefore,  was  laid  upon  him,  as 
it  is  written  [I  Kings  xiv.  i6]  :  "  For  the  sake  of  the  sins 
of  Jeroboam,  who  did  sin,  and  who  induced  Israel  to  sin." 

MiSHNA  AA.  In  whomsoever  are  the  following  three 
things,  he  Is  a  disciple  of  Abraham,  and  in  whomsoever 
are  the  contrary  three  things,  he  is  a  disciple  of  Balaam. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  133 

MiSHNA  BB.  He  who  possesses  a  good  eye,  a  modest 
spirit,  and  a  humble  mind  is  to  be  counted  the  disciple  of 
Abraham  our  father ;  an  evil  eye,  a  haughty  spirit,  and  a 
bombastic  mind  is  to  be  counted  the  disciple  of  Balaam. 
And  what  difference  is  there  between  the  disciples  of 
Abraham  and  those  of  Balaam  ?  The  disciples  of  Balaam 
go  down  to  Gehenna,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  Iv.  24]  :  "  But 
thou,  O  God,  thou  wilt  bring  them  down  into  the  pit  of 
destruction  :  let  not  the  men  of  blood  and  deceit  live  out 
half  their  days  ;  but  I  will  indeed  trust  in  thee."  But 
the  disciples  of  Abraham  derive  benefit  in  this  world  and 
inherit  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  viii.  21]  : 
"That  I  may  cause  those  that  love  me  to  inherit  a  lasting 
possession  ;  and  their  treasures  v/ill  I  fill." 

MiSHNA  CC.  Jehudah  b.  Tenia  was  in  the  habit  of 
saying :  "  Be  courageous  as  the  panther,  light-winged  as 
the  eagle,  swift  as  the  deer,  and  strong  as  the  lion,  to  exe- 
cute the  will  of  thy  Heavenly  Father." 

MiSHNA  DD.  He  used  to  say  :  "  Gehenna  will  be  the 
place  for  the  bold  of  face,  and  the  Garden  of  Eden  will  be 
that  for  the  shamefaced." 

MisiiNA  EE.  He  used  to  say  :  "  One  five  years  old 
should  study  Scripture  ;  ten  years — Mishna  ;  thirteen 
years — should  practise  the  commandments  ;  fifteen  years 
old — should  study  Gemara  ;  eighteen  years  old — the 
bridal ;  at  twenty — pursuits  ;  at  thirty — strength  ;  at  forty 
— discernment;  at  fifty— counsel ;  at  sixty — age;  at  sev- 
enty— hoariness  ;  at  eighty — power;  at  ninety — decrepi- 
tude ;  at  one  hundred — it  is  as  though  he  v.'ere  dead  and 
gone  and  had  ceased  from  the  world." 

MisiiNA  EE.  Ben  Bag-Bag  said  :  "Turn  it,  and  turn 
it  again  (the  Torah),  for  everything  can  be  found  therein. 
Study  it,  get  old  and  gray  with  it,  and  never  depart  from 
it ;  for  there  is  no  better  gauge  of  a  moral  life  than — the 
Torah." 

Mishna  GG.  Ben  He-He  said  :  "The  reward  is  com- 
mensurate with  the  affliction." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

[Wise  men  have  taught  in  the  Mishna  tongue.  Blessed  is  He  that  made  choice  ol 
them  and  their  Mishna.] 

MiSHNA  A.  R.  Meir  said  :  "  Whosoever  is  busied  in 
Torah  for  the  love  thereof  merits  many  things  ;  and  not 
only  so,  but  he  is  worth  the  whole  world,  as  he  is  called 
friend,  beloved,  loves  the  Omnipotent  and  mankind ; 
pleases  the  Omnipotent  and  mankind.  And  it  clothes  hifn 
with  meekness  and  fear,  and  fits  him  to  become  righteous, 
pious,  upright,  and  faithful ;  and  removes  him  from  sin, 
and  brings  him  toward  the  side  of  merit.  And  they 
derive  from  him  the  benefit  of  good  counsel,  and  sound 
v/isdom,  understanding,  and  strength,  as  it  is  written 
[Prov.  viii.  14]  :  '  Mine  are  counsel  and  sound  wisdom : 
I  am  understanding ;  mine  is  might.'  And  it  gives  him 
kingdom  and  dominion,  and  faculty  of  judgment.  And 
they  reveal  to  him  secrets  of  Torah  ;  and  he  is  made,  as 
it  were,  a  spring  that  ceases  not  and  as  a  river  that  flows 
on  increasinsf.  And  he  becomes  modest  and  lona--su£fer- 
ing,  and  forgiving  of  insult,  and  it  magnifies  him  and 
exalts  him  over  all  things." 

Mishna  B.  Said  R.  Jehoshua  b.  Levi :  "  Every  day  a 
Heavenly  voice  goes  forth  from  Mount  Horeb,  and  pro- 
claims as  follows  :  '  Woe  to  the  creatures  for  contempt  of 
the  Law,  for  whosoever  does  not  occupy  himself  in  the 
Law  is  called  "blameworthy,"'  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xi. 
22]  :  'As  a  golden  ring  in  a  swine's  snout,  so  is  a  hand- 
some woman  that  hath  thrown  off  discretion  ' ;  and  it  is  also 
written  [Ex.  xxxii.  16]  :  'And  the  tables  were  the  work 
of  God,  and  the  writing  was  the  writing  of  God,  engraved 
{charutJi)  upon  the  tables.'    Do  not  read  ckarutk,  graven, 


TRACT   ABOTH.  135 

but  cheruthy  freedom,  for  there  is  no  free  man  but  him 
who  is  occupied  in  the  study  of  the  Law  ;  as  whosoever 
is  occupied  in  such  study,  behold  he  exalts  himself,  as  it 
is  written  [Numb.  xxi.  19]:  'And  from  Mattanah  to 
Nachaliel  ;  and  from  Nachaliel  to  Barmoth.' " 

MisiiNA  C.  He  who  learns  from  his  companion  one 
chapter,  or  one  Halakha,  or  one  verse,  or  one  word,  or 
even  one  letter  is  bound  to  do  him  honor,  for  thus  we  find 
with  David,  King  of  Israel,  who  learned  from  Achitophel 
two  things  only,  and  nevertheless  he  named  him  his  mas- 
ter, his  guide,  and  his  acquaintance,  as  it  is  written  |  Ps.  Iv. 
14]  :  "  But  it  is  thou,  a  man  my  equal,  my  guide,  and  my 
acquaintance."  And  is  there  not  an  a  fortiori  conclusion 
to  be  drawn  from  this,  that  as  David,  King  of  Israel,  who 
learned  from  Achitophel  two  things  only,  called  him  his 
master,  his  guide,  and  his  acquaintance,  he  who  learns 
from  his  companion  one  chapter,  or  one  Halakha,  or  one 
verse,  or  even  one  letter  is  so  much  the  more  bound  to 
do  him  honor  ?  And  honor  is  nothing  but  the  Torah,  as 
it  is  written  [Prov.  iii.  35]:  "The  wise  shall  inherit 
glory";  and  also  [ibid,  xxviii.  10]:  "But  the  men  of 
integrity  will  inherit  what  is  good"  ;  and  good  is  nothing 
but  the  Torah,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  iv.  2]  :  "  For  good 
information  do  I  give  you,  my  teaching  (Torah)  must  ye 
not  forsake." 

MisiiNA  D.  This  is  the  path  of  Torah  :  A  morsel  with 
salt  shalt  thou  eat.  Thou  shalt  drink  also  water  by  meas- 
ure (Ezek.  V.  11)  and  shalt  sleep  upon  the  ground,  and 
live  a  life  of  painfulness,  and  in  Torah  shalt  thou  labor.  If 
thou  doest  thus,  "  happy  shalt  thou  be  and  it  shall  be  well 
with  thee"  [Ps.  cxxviii.  2].  "  Happy  shalt  thou  be"  in 
this  world,  and  "  it  shall  be  well  with  thee  "  in  the  world 
to  come. 

MisriNA  E.  Seek  not  greatness  for  thyself,  and  desire 
not  honor.  Practise  more  than  thou  learncst,  and  lust  not 
for  the  table  of  kings,  for  thy  table  is  greater  than  theirs, 
and  thy  crown  greater  than  their  crown,  and  faithful  is 


136  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

thy   taskmaster,    who   will  pay   thee    the    wage    of    thy 
work. 

MisiiNA  F.  Greater  is  Torah  than  the  priesthood,  and 
than  the  kingdom  ;  for  the  kingdom  is  acquired  by  thirty 
degrees,  and  the  priesthood  by  twenty-four,  and  the  Torah 
is  acquired  by  forty-eight.  And  these  are  they  :  by  learn- 
ing, by  a  listening  ear,  by  orderly  speech,  by  discernment 
of  heart,  by  reverence,  by  fear,  by  meekness,  by  cheerful- 
ness, by  purity,  by  attendance  upon  the  wise,  by  discus- 
sion with  associates,  by  argumentation  of  disciples,  by 
sedateness,  by  Scripture,  by  Mishna,  by  moderation  of 
business,  limitation  of  worldly  things,  by  temperance  in 
pleasure,  by  little  sleep,  by  lessening  converse,  by  reduc- 
ing merriment,  by  long-suffering,  by  a  good  heart,  by  faith 
in  the  wise,  by  acceptance  of  chastisements  ;  he  that 
knows  his  place,  and  that  rejoices  in  his  portion,  and  that 
makes  a  face  to  his  words,  and  does  not  claim  merit  to 
himself :  he  is  loved,  loves  God,  loves  all  creatures,  loves 
righteousness,  loves  uprightness,  loves  reproofs,  and 
retires  from  honor,  and  does  not  puff  up  his  heart  on 
account  of  his  learning,  and  does  not  rejoice  because  he  is 
privileged  to  give  decision,  bears  the  yoke  with  his  asso- 
ciates, and  inclines  him  to  the  scale  of  merit,  and  grounds 
him  upon  the  truth  and  upon  peace,  and  concentrates  his 
mind  in  study,  asks  and  answers,  hears  and  adds  thereto  ; 
he  that  learns  in  order  to  teach,  and  learns  in  order  to 
practise  ;  that  makes  his  master  wiser,  and  that  considers 
what  he  has  heard,  and  tells  a  thing  in  the  name  of  him 
that  said  it.  Lo,  thou  hast  learned  that  whosoever  tells 
a  thing  in  the  name  of  him  that  said  it  brings  redemption 
to  the  world,  as  it  is  written  [Esther,  ii.  22]  :  "  And  Esther 
said  it  to  the  king  in  the  name  of  Mordecai." 

TosepJitha — Aboth  of  R.  Natlian. 

*  There  are  four  things  which  bear  good  fruit  in  this  world, 
and  yield  greater  benefits  for  the  world  to  come,  if  man  observes 

*  Chapter  XL.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  137 

them.  They  are  honoring  of  parents,  conferring  favors,  recon- 
ciliation of  adversaries,  and,  above  all,  the  study  of  the  Law. 
There  arc  four  things  for  which  one  who  is  guilty  of  them  is 
punished  both  in  this  and  in  the  world  to  come;  namely,  idol- 
atry, incest,  shedding  of  blood,  and,  above  all,  slander. 

A  meritorious  act  has  both  principal  and  benefit,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Is.  iii.  10]:  "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  he  hath  done 
well;  for  the  friiit  of  their  doings  shall  they  eat."  A  trans- 
gression has  principal  but  no  benefit,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  11]: 
"  Woe  unto  the  wicked  .  .  .  for  the  recompense  of  his 
hands,"  etc.  According  to  others,  transgressors  have  benefit, 
as  it  is  written  [Prov.  i.  31]:  "  Therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the 
friiit  of  their  own  way,"  etc. 

One  who  causes  many  to  be  righteous,  710  sin  prevails  upon 
him.''  In  order  that  he  might  not  go  to  Gehenna,  while  his  dis- 
ciples will  enjoy  the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xvi.  10]: 
"  For  thou  wilt  not  abandon  my  soul  to  the  grave,"  On  the 
other  hand,  "  One  ivho  caiiscs  others  to  sin  is  never  afforded  the 
faculty  to  repent'' — also  for  the  reason  that  the  reverse  of  the 
above  shall  not  be  the  case,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxviii.  17]: 
"  A  man  oppressed  by  the  load  of  having  shed  human  blood  will 
flee  even  to  the  pit." 

One  who  says,  "  I  will  sin  and  then  do  repentance,"  is  not 
afforded  the  opportunity  to  repent;  "  I  will  sin,  and  the  Day  of 
Atonement  will  atone  for  it,"  or,  "  I  will  sin,  and  the  day  of 
death  will  wipe  it  out  " — it  does  not  do  so. 

R.  Elazar  b.  Jose  says:  "  One  who  has  sinned  and  repented, 
and  thenceforward  seeks  to  perfect  himself,  does  not  move  from 
his  place  until  he  is  forgiven ;  and  one  who  says  that  he  will  sin 
and  repent  thereafter,  he  is  forgiven  only  up  to  three  times,  and 
no  more." 

"  There  are  four  characters  among  meti,"  etc.  There  are 
four  characters  among  disciples  :  one  who  desires  to  teach  and 
that  others  shall  do  likewise,  he  is  of  a  good  disposition  ;  if  he 
desires  to  teach,  but  does  not  like  to  sec  others  do  the  same 
thing,  he  is  of  bad  disposition.  That  others  shall  teach,  and  not 
he — this  is  medium.  According  to  others,  this  is  the  character 
of  Sodom  (as  the  Sodomites  did  not  want  any  one  to  derive  any 
benefit  from  them).  If,  however,  he  wishes  that  neither  he  nor 
others  shall  teach,  he  is  decidedly  wicked. 

There  are  four  characters  among  those  who  sit  in  the  house 
of  learning.     One  who  becomes  friendly  (with  the  sages  who 


138  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

study  there)  and  studies  with  them  has  a  share  (with  the  sages) ; 
one  who  befriends  himself  but  does  not  study  with  them  has  no 
share;  one  who  estranges  himself  (from  the  sages)  but  studies 
himself  has  a  share;  and  the  one  who  both  estranges  himself 
and  does  not  study  has  no  share. 

One  who  propounds  questions  and  gives  their  answers  has  a 
share  (in  the  world  to  come);  one  who  only  questions  has  none; 
one  who  sits  and  keeps  silent  has  a  share.  One  who  befriends 
himself  in  order  that  he  might  listen  and  learn  has  a  share;  if 
he  befriends  himself  in  order  that  others  might  say  that  he  be- 
friends himself  and  sits  before  a  wise  man,  he  has  none.  If  he 
sits  at  a  distance  in  order  to  accord  honor  to  one  who  is  superior 
to  him,  he  has  a  share;  if,  however,  the  reason  is  that  others 
might  say  that  he  does  not  need  that  sage,  he  has  none.  One 
that  propounds  questions  and  gives  their  answers  in  order  that 
others  might  say  that  he  propounds  questions  and  gives  their 
answers  and  serves  the  scholars,  has  no  share;  if,  however,  he 
does  so  in  order  really  to  learn  something,  he  has.  If  he  sits 
silent  in  order  to  listen  and  learn,  he  has  a  share;  if,  however, 
the  purpose  is  that  others  might  say  that  he  does  so,  he  has 
none. 

"  There  are  four  different  characters  amojig  students,''  etc. 
One  resembles  a  sponge:  as  a  sponge  absorbs  all  liquids,  so  does 
that  kind  of  student  absorb  all  that  he  studies:  Scripture,  Mish- 
nah,  Midrash,  Halakhoth,  and  Agadoth.  One  is  like  a  sieve: 
as  a  sieve  passes  through  the  fine  flour  and  retains  the  coarse 
particles,  so  an  intelligent  student  retains  what  is  good  in  the 
study  and  leaves  out  what  is  not.  One  is  like  a  funnel :  as  it 
lets  in  the  liquid  through  one  opening  and  lets  it  out  through 
the  other,  so  is  it  with  the  unintelligent  student — what  enters 
his  one  ear  goes  out  through  the  other,  until  all  is  gone.  The 
fourth  student  is  like  a  wine-strainer  which  lets  the  wine  pass 
through  and  absorbs  the  dregs :  so  also  the  wicked  student  for- 
gets the  good  teachings  and  retains  the  bad  ones. 

R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob  named  the  last  one  a  horn  (which  lets  in 
the  liquids  at  one  end  and  lets  them  out  at  the  other).  How 
so  ?  For  instance,  a  child  who  is  given  a  pearl,  he  will  drop  the 
latter  when  given  a  slice  of  bread ;  and  when  given  a  potsherd 
he  will  drop  the  bread,  and  finally  he  has  nothing  but  the  pot- 
sherd. 

As  to  disciples,  R.  Gamaliel  the  elder  compares  them  to  the 
following  four  kinds  of  fish:  an  unclean,  a  clean  fish,  a  fish  found 


TRACT    AEOTII.  139 

in  the  Jordan,  and  one  found  in  the  Ocean.  By  an  unclean  fish 
is  meant  a  disciple  of  poor  intellect,  who,  notwithstanding  his 
study  of  Scripture,  Mishna,  Halakhoth,  and  Agadoth,  still  re- 
mains poor-minded.  By  a  clean  fish  is  meant  a  disciple  of  rich 
intellect,  who  studies  Scripture,  Mishna,  Halakhoth,  and  Aga- 
doth,  and  develops  his  mind.  By  a  fish  from  the  Jordan  is 
meant  a  scholar  who  has  studied  all  the  mentioned  subjects,  but 
has  not  acquired  the  faculty  of  answering  questions  put  to  him. 
And  by  a  fish  found  in  the  Ocean  is  meant  a  scholar  who  studied 
all  the  above  subjects  and  has  the  ability  of  answering  the  ques- 
tions put  to  him. 

With  regard  to  sight,  it  may  be  said  that  there  arc  four  dif- 
ferent misfortunes:  those  that  see  and  are  visible,  e.g.,  the  wolf, 
the  lion,  the  leopard,  the  bear,  the  hyena,  the  serpent,  robbers, 
and  soldiers  (who  in  time  of  war  commit  robber)');  those  that 
are  visible  but  do  not  see,  e.g.,  the  sword,  the  arrow,  the  spear, 
the  knife,  the  stick,  the  lance;  those  that  see  but  are  not  visi- 
ble, e.g.,  the  plague  of  an  evil  spirit;  and  those  that  neither  see 
nor  are  visible,  e.g.,  the  plague  of  stomach  trouble. 

There  are  four  sages:  One  who  sees  R.  Johanan  b.  Nuri  in 
his  dream  may  hope  to  be  fearful  of  sin ;  R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah 
— he  may  hope  for  riches  and  greatness;  R.  Ishmael — he  may 
hope  for  wisdom;  R.  Aqiba — he  may  fear  being  chastised. 

There  are  other  three  scholars  (regarding  dreams):  One  who 
sees  Ben  Azai  may  hope  to  be  one  of  the  pious;  Ben  Zoma — he 
may  hope  for  knowledge ;  Elisha  b.  Abuyah — may  fear  being 
chastised. 

(The  same  is  the  case)  with  the  following  three  books  of  the 
prophets:  Kings — he  may  hope  for  riches,  greatness;  Isaiah — 
satisfaction  ;  and  Jeremiah — chastisement. 

(The  same  is  the  case)  with  the  following  books  of  the  Ilagi- 
ographa:  Psalms — he  may  hope  to  be  modest;  Proverbs — he 
may  hope  for  wisdom;  and  Job — he  may  fear  being  chastised. 

There  are  also  three  things  regarding  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  ones  (which  will  be  explained  in  Tract  Sanhedrin). 

"  Every  gainsaying,"  etc.  Every  assembly  that  is  for  the 
sake  of  performing  a  religious  duty  remains  everlasting;  e.g.,  the 
Great  Assembly.  And  every  assembly  which  is  not  for  such  pur- 
pose will  finally  cease;  e.g.,  the  assembl}'  for  division  [Gen.  xi.]. 

MisiiNA  G.  Great  is  Torah,  that  gives  life  to  those 
who  practise  it  in  this  world  and  in  the  world  to  come,  as 


I40  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

it  is  written  [Prov.  iv.  22]  :  "  For  they  are  life  unto  every- 
one of  those  that  find  them,  and  to  all  his  body  a  healing." 
And  it  is  also  written  [ibid.  iii.  8]  :  "  It  will  be  healing  to 
thy  body,  and  marrow  to  thy  bones."  And  it  is  again  writ- 
ten [ibid.,  ibid.  18]  :  "A  tree  of  life  is  she  to  those  who 
lay  hold  on  her,  and  every  one  that  firmly  graspeth  her 
will  be  made  happy."  And  again  [ibid.  i.  9]:  "For  a 
v/reath  of  grace  are  they  unto  thy  head,  and  chains  for 
thy  throat."  And  again  [ibid.  iv.  9]  :  "She  will  give  to 
thy  head  a  wreath  of  grace  ;  a  crown  of  ornament  will  she 
deliver  to  thee."  And  again  [ibid.  iii.  16]:  "Length  of 
days  is  in  her  right  hand  ;  in  her  left  are  riches  and  honor." 
And  again  [ibid.  iii.  2]  :  "  For  length  of  days,  and  years 
of  life,  and  peace,  will  they  increase  unto  thee." 

MisiiNA  H.  R.  Simeon  b.  Menassia  said  in  the  name 
of  R.  Simeon  b.  Jo'hai  :  "Comeliness,  and  strength,  and 
wealth,  and  honor,  and  wisdom,  and  age,  and  hoariness, 
and  sons  are  becomino-  to  the  righteous,  and  becomino-  to 
the  world,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xvi.  31]  :  'An  ornamental 
crown  is  the  hoary  head,  on  the  way  of  righteousness  can 
it  be  found.'  And  it  is  also  written  [ibid.  xx.  29]  :  '  The 
ornament  of  young  men  is  their  strength  ;  and  the  glory 
of  old  men  is  a  hoary  head '  ;  and  again  [ibid.  xvii.  6]  : 
'  The  crown  of  old  men  is  children's  children ;  and  the 
ornament  of  children  are  their  fathers ' ;  and  again  [Is. 
xxiv.  23] ;  'And  the  moon  shall  be  put  to  the  blush,  and 
the  sun  be  made  ashamed  ;  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts  will 
reign  on  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his 
ancients  in  glory.'" 

S.  Simeon  b.  Menassia  said  :  "  Those  seven  qualities 
which  the  wise  have  reckoned  to  the  righteous  v/ere  all  of 
them  confirmed  in  Rabbi  and  his  sons." 

MiSHNA  /.  R.  Jose  b.  Qisma  said  :  "  Once  I  was 
walking  by  the  way  and  there  met  a  man,  and  he  gave  me 
'  Peace  ! '  and  I  returned  him  *  Peace  ! '  He  said  to  me  : 
'  Rabbi,  from  what  place  art  thou  ? '  I  said  to  him  :  '  From 
a  great  city  of  wise  men  and  scribes  am  I.'     He  said  to 


TRACT   ABOTH.  141 

me  :  '  Rabbi,  should  you  like  to  dwell  with  us  in  our  place  ? 
I  will  give  thee  a  thousand  thousand  dinars  of  gold,  and 
goodly  stones,  and  pearls.'  I  said  to  him  :  '  If  thou 
shouldest  give  me  all  the  silver,  gold,  and  goodly  stones, 
and  pearls  that  are  in  the  world,  I  would  not  dwell  but  in 
a  place  of  Torah,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Book  of  Psalms 
by  the  hand  of  David,  King  of  Israel  [Ps.  cxix.  72]  : 
"  Better  is  unto  me  the  law  of  thy  mouth  than  thousands 
of  eold  and  silver."  Moreover,  in  the  hour  of  a  man's 
decease,  not  silver,  not  gold,  nor  goodly  stones  and  pearls, 
accompany  the  man,  but  Torah  and  good  words  alone,  as 
it  is  written  [Prov.  vi.  22]  :  "  When  thou  walkest  it  shall 
lead  thee,  when  thou  liest  down  it  shall  watch  over  thee  ; 
when  thou  art  awake  it  shall  converse  with  thee."  "  When 
thou  walkest  it  shall  lead  thee  "  in  this  world  ;  "  when  thou 
liest  down  it  shall  watch  over  thee  "  in  the  grave  ;  "  when 
thou  art  av,^ake  it  shall  converse  with  thee"  in  the  world 
to  come;  and  it  is  also  written  [Haggai  ii.  8]  :  "Mine 
is  the  silver,  and  mine  is  the  gold,  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts.' " 

Five  possessions  had  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  in  this  world,  and  these  are  they  :  Torah,  one  pos- 
session ;  Heaven  and  earth,  one  possession  ;  Abraham, 
one  possession  ;  Israel,  one  possession  ;  the  Sanctuary, 
one  possession.  Torah,  whence  ?  As  it  is  written  [Prov. 
viii.  22]:  "  The  Lord  created  *  me  as  the  beginning  of  his 
way  ;  the  first  of  his  works  from  the  commencement." 
Heaven  and  earth,  whence  ?  As  it  is  written  [Is.  Ixvi.  i]  : 
"  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool ; 
where  is  there  a  house  that  ye  can  build  unto  me  ?  and 
where  is  the  place  of  my  rest?"  And  it  is  also  written 
[Ps.  civ.  24]  :  "How  manifold  are  thy  works,  O  Lord! 
in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all ;  the  earth  is  full  of 
thy  riches."*  Abraham,  whence?  It  is  written  |  Gen.  xiv. 
19]  :  "And  he  blessed  him,  and  said.  Blessed  be  Abram 

*  The  Hebrew  terms  for  these  are  derived  from  the  verb  HJp,  which  the  Talmud 
translates  literally,  "  to  possess,"  "  to  acquire." 


142  THE    BABYLONIAN    TALMUD. 

of  the  most  high  God,  the  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth." 
Israel,  whence  ?  As  it  is  written  [Ex.  xv.  i6]  :  "  Till  thy 
people  pass  over,  O  Lord,  till  this  people  pass  over  which 
thou  hast  purchased."'""  And  it  is  also  written  [Ps.  xvi. 
3]  :  "In  the  saints  who  are  on  the  earth,  and  in  the  excel- 
lent— in  them  is  all  my  delight."  The  Sanctuary,  whence  ? 
As  it  is  written  [Ex.  xv.  17]  :  "The  sanctuary,  O  Lord, 
which  thy  hands  have  established."  *  And  it  is  also  writ- 
ten [Ps.  Ixxviii.  54]  :  "  And  he  brought  them  to  his  holy 
territory,  even  to  this  mount,  which  his  right  hand  had 
acquired."  * 

Whatsoever  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  created  in 
this  world,  He  created  not  but  for  his  glory,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten [Is.  xl.  iii.  7]  :  "  Every  one  that  is  called  by  my  name, 
and  whom  I  have  created  for  my  glory  ;  whom  I  have 
formed  ;  yea,  whom  I  have  made."  And  it  is  also  written 
[Ex.  XV.  18]  :  "  The  Lord  will  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 

R.  Hanania  b.  Aqashia  said  :  "  The  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  was  pleased  to  give  merit  to  Israel,  therefore 
he  m.ultiplied  unto  them  Torah  and  precepts,  as  it  is 
written  [Is.  xlii.  21]  :  'The  Lord  willed  to  do  this  for  the 
sake  of  his  righteousness  ;  therefore  he  magnifieth  the 
law  and  maketh  it  honorable.' " 

Tosephtha — Aboth  of  R.  Nathan. 

f  R.  Simeon  said  there  are  three  crowns:  the  crown  of  Torah, 
that  of  priesthood,  and  that  of  kingdom ;  the  crown  of  a  good 
name,  however,  is  above  all.  Concerning  the  crown  of  priest- 
hood :  If  one  would  offer  all  the  gold  and  silver  in  the  world  for 
it,  he  could  not  acquire  it,  as  it  was  only  for  Aaron  and  his  chil- 
dren [Numb.  XXV.  13]. 

The  same  is  the  case  with  the  crown  of  kingdom,  which  can- 
not be  gotten  for  all  the  gold  and  silver  in  the  world,  as  it  was 
only  for  David,  as  it  is  written  [Ezek.  xxxvii.  24] :  "  My  servant 
David  will  be  the  prince  for  ever."     But  with  the  crown  of  Torah 

*  The  Hebrew  terms  far  these  are  derived  from  the  verb  HJp,  w^hich  the  Talmud 
translates,  UteraU}',  "  to  possess,"  "  to  acquire." 
f  Chapter  XLI.  of  the  original. 


TRACT   ABOTH.  143 

it  is  different;  every  one  who  wants  to  possess  it,  he  may  come 
and  take  it,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  Iv.  i] :  "  Every  one  of  ye  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  water  "  (meaning  the  Torah).  Occupy 
thyself  with  the  words  of  the  Torah,  and  do  not  occupy  thyself 
with  idle  things. 

It  happened  to  R.  Elazar  b.  Simeon,  etc.* 

Three  things  were  said  of  charitable  men :  he  who  gives 
charity  may  be  blessed,  but  if  he  gives  it  in  the  form  of  a  loan  is 
still  better;  but  he,  however,  who  gives  one  money  to  do  busi- 
ness with,  with  the  understanding  that  he  shall  pay  him  half  of 
the  profits,  is  above  all. 

There  are  three  different  kinds  among  scholars  ;  one  who  is 
able  to  ask  questions  and  to  answer  them  is  a  wise  one;  one 
who  is  only  able  to  ask  questions  but  not  to  answer  them  is  in- 
ferior to  him;  but  he  who  is  able  neither  to  ask  nor  to  answer 
questions  is  not  to  be  considered  at  all. 

There  are  three  different  kinds  of  sweat  that  are  beneficial  to 
the  body:  the  sweat  following  a  sickness;  the  sweat  produced 
by  a  bath;  the  sweat  of  labor.  The  sweat  following  a  sickness 
is  healing,  but  the  sweat  produced  by  a  bath  has  no  equal. 

There  are  six  kinds  of  tears:  three  of  them  are  good  and 
three  are  bad.  Those  produced  by  weeping,  smoke,  and  in  the 
toilet  are  bad  (see  Sabbath,  p.  355).  Those  produced  by  spices, 
laughing,  and  by  sharp  fruit  are  good. 

There  arc  three  advantages  in  an  earthen  vessel :  it  absorbs, 
does  not  exude,  and  gives  no  bad  smell  to  the  thing  that  is  in  it. 

There  are  three  advantages  in  a  glass  vessel :  it  does  neither 
absorb  nor  exude,  and  it  exposes  to  view  wliat  is  therein  con- 
tained ;  and  keeps  warm  in  a  warm  temperature,  and  cold  in  a 
cold  temperature. 

The  money  that  the  Israelites  carried  away  from  Eg)'pt  re- 
turned to  Egypt,  as  it  is  written  [Ex.  xii.  36]:  "And  they 
emptied  out  Egypt";  and  it  is  also  written  [Gen.  xlvii.  14]: 
"  And  Joseph  gathered  up  all  the  money,"  etc. ;  and  it  is  writ- 
ten [I  Kings,  xiv.  25,  26]:  "And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  fifth 
year,"  etc. 

The  heavenly  writing  on  the  tables  returned  to  its  origin  (see 
Pesachim,  178). 

' '  R.  Jchuda  b.  Thcma  said,"  etc.  He  used  also  to  say :  Love 
Heaven,  love  all  the  commandments.     If  you  do  the  least  wrong 

*See  Section  Festivals,  Vol.  VIII.,  Tract  Taanith,  pp.  52-53,  the  legend  at 
length. 


144  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

to  your  companion,  it  shall  be  considered  by  you  the  greatest 
wrong;  but  if  you  have  done  him  good,  though  it  have  been  a 
great  deal,  you  shall  consider  it  little.  On  the  contrary,  if  your 
companion  has  done  you  the  least  good,  you  shall  consider  it 
much ;  and  if  he  has  done  you  a  great  wrong,  consider  it  little. 
Be  as  a  tight  leather-bag  that  has  no  opening  to  let  in  the  wind. 
Be  prepared  to  receive  affliction,  and  be  forgiving  to  those  who 
oppress  you. 

The  following  articles  were  made  and  were  hidden :  The  first 
tabernacle,  and  the  vessels  therein  contained ;  the  ark,  the 
broken  tables  and  the  receptacle  of  the  manna,  the  staff,  the 
bottle  of  the  oil  of  anointment ;  the  staff  of  Aaron,  its  buds  and 
blossoms;  the  garments  of  the  first  priests  and  the  garments  of 
the  anointed  priest.  But  the  mortar  of  the  house  of  Abtinas, 
the  table,  the  candelabra  of  the  Temple,  the  curtain,  the 
golden  plate,  are  still  in  Rome. 

All  that  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  created  in  His  world 
was  so  created  only  for  His  glory,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  xliii.  7]: 
"  Every  one  that  is  called  by  my  name,  and  whom  I  have  cre- 
ated for  my  glory,  whom  I  have  formed — yea,  whom  I  have 
made";  and  it  is  also  written  [Ex.  xv.  18]:  "The  Lord  will 
reign  for  ever  and  ever." 

R.  Hananiah  b.  Akashia  said :  The  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  desired  to  reward  Israel  in  the  world  to  come,  and  therefore 
He  magnified  the  Law  for  them  and  gave  them  a  great  number 
of  merits,  as  it  is  written  [Is.  xlii.  21]:  "  The  Lord  willed  to  do 
this  for  the  sake  of  his  righteousness;  therefore  he  magnifieth 
the  law,  and  maketh  it  honorable." 


END  OF  TRACT  ABOTH  AND  OF  ABOTH  OF  R.  NATHAN. 


TRACT    DERECH    ERETZ-RABBA  AND    ZUTA. 
(WORLDLY    AFFAIRS.) 


TRACT    DERECH    ERETZ-RABBA. 
(WORLDLY  AFFAIRS.) 


CHAPTER   II.* 

The  Sadducees,  the  common  informers,  the  wicked, 
the  hypocrites,  the  heretics,  of  them  the  Scripture  says 
[Job,  xiii.  i6]  :  "For  a  hypocrite  cannot  come  before 
him  "  ;  the  terrifying,  the  overbearing,  the  haughty,  the 
barefaced,  those  who  develop  only  their  muscular  strength, 
of  them  the  Scripture  says  [Psalms,  xxxvii.  17]:  "  For 
the  ovens  of  the  wicked  shall  be  broken  ;  but  the  upholder 
of  the  righteous  is  the  Lord."  Evil-thinkers,  story-tellers, 
talebearers,  smooth-tongued  persons,  of  them  the  Scrip- 
ture says  [ibid.  xxxv.  5J  :  "  May  their  way  be  dark  and 
slippery,  and  may  the  angel  of  the  Lord  pursue  them." 
Those  who  assault  their  neighbor  in  private  and  those 
who  insult  him  in  public,  those  who  trifle  with  majorities, 
and  those  who  cause  quarrels,  they  will  become  as  Kora'h 
and  his  society,  of  whom  the  Scripture  says  [Numb.  xvi. 
33]  :  "  And  the  earth  closed  over  them,  and  they  dis- 
appeared from  the  midst  of  the  congregation."  Those 
who  forestall  fruit,  those  who  raise  the  prices,  those  who 
diminish  the  measure,  those  who  accept  payment  in 
large-sized  shekels,  and  those  who  live  on  usury,  of  them 
the  Scripture  says  [Amos,  viii.  7J  :  "  Sworn  hath  the 
Lord  by  the  excellency  of  Jacob.  Surely  I  will  not  for- 
get to  eternity  all  their  works." 

The  following  leave  no  inheritance  to  their  children, 

o 

*  Chapter  I.  belongs  to  Tract  Kedushin,  and  will  be  added  to  that  tract. 


2  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

and  If  they  do  leave  to  their  children,  nothing  of  it  comes 
to  their  grandchildren  :  viz.,  those  who  play  at  dice,  and 
those  who  raise  tender  cattle  (in  Palestine)  ;  those  who 
do  business  with  the  money  obtained  from  the  fruit  of 
the  Sabbatical  year,  and  those  who  pay  with  coins  (of 
doubtful  genuineness)  coming  from  the  sea-countries,  and 
a  priest  and  a  Levite  who  obtained  advances  on  their 
shares  (of  heave-offering  and  tithes),  and  those  who  dis- 
grace the  Holy  Name,  of  them  the  Scripture  says  [Ps.  ix. 
i8]  :  "  The  wicked  shall  return  into  hell,  all  the  nations 
that  are  forgetful  of  God."  And  of  them  it  is  also  writ- 
ten [Eccles.  i.  15]  :  "What  is  crooked  cannot  be  made 
straight."  Those  who  motion  with  their  hands,  stamp 
their  feet,  walk  on  their  toes  (to  show  pride),  of  them 
the  Scripture  says  [Ps.  xxxvi.  12]:  "Let  not  come 
against  me  the  foot  of  pride,  and  let  not  the  hand  of  the 
wicked  chase  mQ  off."  The  conceited,  the  slanderers, 
those  who  indulge  in  obscene  language,  those  who  are 
wise  in  their  ov/n  eyes,  of  them  the  Scripture  says  [Mai. 
iii.  19] :  "  For,  behold,  the  day  is  coming  which  shall  burn 
as  an  oven,"  etc. 

One  who  lets  his  young  son  marry  an  older  woman, 
and  one  who  marries  off  his  daughter  to  an  old  man,  and 
one  who  bestows  favors  upon  those  who  are  unworthy, 
concerning  such  Scripture  says  [Deut.  xxix.  19]  :  "  The 
Lord  will  not  pardon  him."  The  collectors,  the  war- 
instigators,  the  publicans,  of  them  Scripture  says  [Ezek. 
xxvii.  27]:  "Thy  wealth  and  thy  warehouses,  thy  com- 
merce, thy  mariners  and  thy  pilots,  thy  caulkers  and  the 
conductors  of  thy  commerce,  and  all  thy  men  of  war  that 
Vv'ere  in  thee,  and  in  all  thy  assemblage  which  was  in  the 
midst  of  thee,  fell  into  the  heart  of  the  seas  on  the  day  of 
thy  downfall."  One  who  betrays  his  partner,  one  who 
does  not  return  a  thing  found  to  its  rightful  owner,  one 
who  loans  money  to  another  in  order  to  get  possession  of 
his  house  or  fields  in  case  of  non-payment,  and  one  who 
lives  immorally  with  his  wife,  and  one  who  maliciously 


TRACT   DERECH   ERETZ— R.^BBA.  3 

slanders  his  wife  in  order  to  divorce  her,  of  them  the 
Scripture  says  [Jer.  xvii.  10]  :  "  I  the  Lord  search  the 
heart,  probe  the  veins." 

Those  who  are  wronged  and  do  not  wrong,  etc.  [see 
Yomah,  p.  ;^t„  1.  9]  ;  those  who  consider  themselves  con- 
temptible and  despicable,  those  who  overcome  their  pas- 
sion, and  are  altogether  modest,  of  them  the  Scripture 
says  [Is.  xlix.  8]  :  "  Thus  hath  said  the  Lord,  In  the  time 
of  favor  have  I  answered  thee,  and  on  the  day  of  salva- 
tion have  I  helped  thee,  and  I  will  preserve  thee,  and  I 
will  appoint  thee  as  a  people  of  my  covenant  to  raise  up 
the  land,  to  divide  out  desolate  heritages."  Trustworthy 
men,  those  who  keep  other  people's  secrets,  those  who 
gladly  return  articles  intrusted  to  their  care,  and  found 
things  to  their  rightful  owners,  of  them  Scripture  says 
[Ps.  ci.  6]:  "j\Iy  eyes  shall  be  upon  the  faithful  of  the 
land,  that  they  may  abide  with  me."  One  who  loves  his 
wife  as  himself,  who  honors  her  more  than  himself,  and 
one  who  leads  his  children  on  the  right  path,  and  one 
who  marries  off  his  son  in  due  time  to  prevent  him  from 
sin,  of  them  it  is  written  [Job,  v.  24]:  "  And  thou  shalt 
know  that  there  is  peace  in  thy  tent  ;  and  thou  wilt  look 
over  thy  habitation,  and  shalt  miss  nothing.  And  thou 
shalt  know  that  thy  seed  is  numerous,  and  thy  offspring 
as  the  herbage  of  the  earth." 

One  who  loves  his  neighbors  and  is  friendly  to  his 
relatives,  and  one  who  marries  off  his  sister's  daughter, 
and  one  who  loans  even  a  small  amount  to  a  poor  man  in 
his  need,'"  of  them  the  Scripture  says  [Is.  Iviii.  9]  :  "  Then 
shalt  thou  call,  and  the  Lord  will  answer." 

One  who  executes  his  trust  rightfully, f  those  who 
truthfully  repent,  and  those  who  receive  the  repentant 
into  their  midst  and  instruct  them  so  that  they  shall  not 

*  Some  say  it  means  when  tlic  lender  himself  is  in  need,  and  it  seems  to  us  that 
il  is  the  correct  meaning. 

f  The  text  reads  "  Hamnadin,"  which  means  "  those  who  put  under  the  ban," 
but  the  commentators  came  to  the  conclusion  that  this  is  an  error.  We  have  trans- 
lated it  according  to  Elias  Wilna. 


4  THE  BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

return  to  their  former  sins,  of  them  it  is  written  [ibid.  8]  : 
"  Then  shall  break  forth  as  the  morning-dawn  thy  light." 

Those  who  judge  rightfully,  those  who  reprove  truth- 
fully, those  who  propagate  purity,  and  those  who  are  pure 
of  heart,  of  them  it  is  written  [Ps.  Ixxiii.  i]  :  "  Truly, 
God  is  good  to  Israel,  to  such  as  are  pure  of  heart." 
Those  who  sigh,  weep,  and  in  their  lamentations  are  hope- 
ful of  the  redemption  of  Jerusalem,  of  them  it  is  written 
[Is.  Ixi.  3]  :  "  To  grant  unto  the  mourners  of  ZIon,  to  give 
unto  them  ornament  in  the  place  of  ashes."  Those  who 
are  merciful,  feed  the  hungry,  quench  the  thirst  of  the 
thirsty,  clothe  the  naked,  and  distribute  charity,  of  them 
the  Scripture  says  [ibid.  Hi.  10]  :  "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous 
that  he  hath  done  well."  The  poor,  the  bashful,  and 
those  who  are  humble  in  spirit,  and  those  who  are  sub- 
missive to  youth,  and  those  who  carry  out  their  promises, 
of  them  the  Scripture  says  [Job,  xxli.  23]  :  "  And  if  thou 
decree  a  thing,  it  will  be  fulfilled  unto  thee,  and  upon  thy 
ways  the  light  will  shine."  Those  who  exert  themselves 
in  the  study  of  the  Law,  and  study  it  for  the  purpose  of 
observing  It,  and  those  who  search  for  the  opportunity  to 
do  good,  and  those  who  frequent  the  temples,  of  them  the 
Scripture  says  [Prov.  vili.  24]  :  "  Happy  is  the  man  that 
hearkeneth  unto  me,  watching  day  by  day  at  my  gates, 
waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors."  Those  who  pursue 
righteousness,  and  seek  peace  for  their  nation,  and  those 
who  participate  In  the  affliction  of  the  community,  and 
those  who  stand  by  the  community  in  case  of  distress,  of 
them  the  Scripture  says  [Nahum,  I.  7]  :  "  The  Lord  is 
good,  a  stronghold  on  the  day  of  distress." 

On  account  of  the  following  four  things  an  eclipse  of 
the  sun  occurs  (see  Succah,  p.  40)  :  When  the  head  of  a 
college  (Ab  Beth  Din)  died  and  was  not  properly  la- 
mented ;  when  a  betrothed  damsel  cried  for  help  (Deut. 
xxli.  23-28)  in  town  and  no  one  offered  help ;  male 
sodomy  ;  and  the  shedding  of  the  blood  of  two  brothers 
at  one  and  the  same  time  (there  is  no  explanation  of  this 


TRACT  DERECH   ERETZ— RABBA.  5 

in  any  of  the  commentaries,  and  it  seems  to  us  that  there 
happened  something  like  that  in  the  author's  time  which 
is  unknown  to  us). 

On  account  of  the  following  four  things  the  eclipse  of 
both  the  sun  and  the  moon  occurs  :  Those  who  write 
defamatory  reports  about  others,  giving  false  testimony, 
raising  tender  cattle,  and  destroying  fruit-bearing  trees. 
On  account  of  the  following  four  things  the  personal 
property  of  citizens  is  seized  by  the  government  :  For 
keeping  paid  notes  (with  the  intention  to  demand  another 
payment),  for  the  practice  of  usury,  for  not  exercising 
one's  power  to  prevent  sin  when  he  could  do  so,  for  sub- 
scribing publicly  to  charity  and  not  paying  the  sub- 
scription. 

On  account  of  the  following-  four  thingrs  the  estates  of 
the  citizen  are  destroyed  :  For  robbing  or  withholding 
the  wages  of  a  wage-earner  [Lev.  xix.  13J  ;  for  remov- 
ing the  yoke  from  one's  own  neck  and  placing  it  upon 
the  neck  of  another,  and  for  haughtiness  above  all. 

R.  Dusthai  b.  R.  Jehudah  said  :  Do  provoke  the 
wicked  (see  Megilla,  p.  13),  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxviii. 
4]  :  "  They  that  forsake  the  law  praise  the  wicked,  but 
such  as  observe  the  law  contend  with  them  "  ;  but  lest  one 
say,  is  it  not  written  [Ps.  xxxvii.  i]  :  "  Do  not  fret  thyself 
because  of  the  evil-doers,  neither  be  thou  envious  against 
the  workers  of  iniquity  "  ?  say  to  him  that  this  is  the 
answer  of  him  whose  heart-beating  prevents  him  from 
doing  so  (because  of  this  passage),  but  the  true  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage  is  thus  :  "  Do  not  fret  thyself  to 
be  equal  to  the  evil-doers,  neither  be  thou  envious  to  be 
like  them  of  the  workers  of  iniquity." 

There  is  no  sitting  above  (in  heaven),  neither  is  there 
eating,  drinking,  sleep,  multiplication,  animosity,  hatred, 
provocation,  envy,  nor  stubbornness,  weariness  nor  delay, 
and  that  is  what  David  the  King  of  Israel  said  [ibid.xviii. 
12]:  "He  made  darkness  his  hiding-place"  (/.<'.,  it  is 
dark  and  hidden  to  all  mortals).    To  what  end  did  David 


6  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

say  this  ?  To  none  other  than  to  praise  of  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  who  is  "Yah,"  rules  on  high,  whose  unity 
is  one,  whose  name  is  one,  and  who  rests  in  three  hundred 
and  ninety  heavens,  and  on  each  His  name  and  mode  of 
pronunciation  are  marked  ;  and  in  each  of  them  there  are 
servants,  seraphim,  ophanini  (wheels,  Ezek.  i.),  cherubim, 
galgalini,  and  a  throne  of  glory  ;  and  there  is  no  wonder 
at  that,  for  even  as  a  mortal  king  has  many  palaces  for 
the  seasons  of  the  year,  so  much  the  more  the  Everlasting, 
since  all  is  His.  And  when  Israel  are  doing  His  will,  He 
rests  in  the  seventh  heaven,  named  Araboth,  and  does 
not  keep  distant  from  His  world,  as  it  is  written  [Numb, 
vii.  89]  :  "  From  between  the  two  cherubim  :  and  thus  he 
spake  unto  him."  When  offended  He  ascends  to  the 
highest  heaven,  and  all  cries  and  weeping  are  not  listened 
to,  and  fasts  are  ordered,  and  they  roll  themselves  in 
ashes,  cover  themselves  with  sacks,  and  shed  tears  (and 
all  in  vain,  until  He  has  mercy  upon  them). 


CHAPTER    III. 

Ben  Azai  said  :  One  who  bears  in  mind  the  following 
four  things,  and  never  loses  sight  of  them,  will  never  sin  ; 
namely,  whence  he  came,  and  whither  he  goes,  who  is  his 
judge,  and  what  will  become  of  him.  Whence  he  came  ? 
— from  a  place  of  darkness  ;  and  whither  he  goes  ? — to 
darkness.  Whence  he  came  ? — from  a  dirty  place  ; 
whither  he  goes  ? — to  make  unclean  every  one  who  will 
touch  him.  Whence  he  came  ? — from  a  fetid  secre- 
tion, and  from  a  place  which  is  invisible  to  a  human 
being ;  whither  he  goes  ? — to  sheol  and  Gehenna,  to  be 
burned  in  fire.  And  who  is  his  Judge?  Remember  that 
his  Judge  is  not  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  the  Lord  of  all 
the  creation,  blessed  be  He,  before  whom  there  is  no 
iniquity,  no  oblivion,  no  consideration  of  person,  no 
bribery.     And  what  will  become  of  him  ? — worms   and 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ— RABBA.  7 

maggot,  as  it  is  written  [Job,  xxv.  6]  :  "  How  much  less 
the  mortal,  the  mere  worm  ?  and  the  son  of  earth,  the 
mere  maofo-ot  ?  "  R.  Simeon  said  :  A  human  beinof  has 
worms  in  his  body  when  alive — i.e.,  lice,  and  he  is  con- 
verted into  a  maggot  after  his  death. 

R.  Eliezer  b.  Jacob  said  :  Think  of  a  big  palace  in  the 
centre  of  which  the  vat  of  a  tanner  is  placed  :  so  is  a  hand- 
some and  respected  man  who  lets  an  unbecoming  word 
pass  his  lips.  If  a  human  being  would  issue  from  his 
body  perfume  (instead  of  excrement),  how  would  he 
pride  himself  against  all  other  creatures  ?  (So,  if  this 
man  allows  his  lips  to  pass  only  respectable  words,  he 
can  pride  himself.)  When  R.  Eliezer  was  about  to 
depart,  his  disciples  paid  him  a  visit  and  requested  him 
to  teach  them  only  one  more  thing.  And  he  said  unto 
them  :  Go,  and  be  careful,  each  of  you,  in  honoring  your 
neighbor ;  and  v/hen  you  are  praying,  remember  before 
whom  you  stand  and  pray,  and  for  the  observation  of 
these  you  will  have  a  share  in  the  world  to  come. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Be  always  pleasant  at  your  entering  and  at  your  leav- 
ing. Lessen  your  worldly  business  in  order  to  study  the 
law.  It  happened  with  R.  Simeon  b.  Elazar,  etc.  (See 
Taanith,  pp.  52  and  53,  for  the  whole  legend  repeated 
here.)  How  shall  one  honor  his  master?  (See  Yomah, 
p.  52.)  And  so  also  we  fmd  with  the  three  angels 
Gabriel,  Michael,  and  Raphael,  who  came  to  Abraham 
our  father.  Gabriel's  errand  was  to  destroy  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  ;  Raphael's  was  to  heal  Abraham  ;  and 
Michael's,  to  inform  Sarah.  And  when  Abraham  saw 
the  angels,  the  Shekhina  came  and  stood  above  him,  and 
he  addressed  the  angels,  saying  :  "  My  masters,  wait 
awhile,  until  I  take  leave  of  the  Shekhina,  for  you  also 
must  respect  her,"  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xviii.  3]  :  "  And 


THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 


he  said,  My  Lord,  if  now  I  have  found  favor  in  thy  eyes, 
pass  not  away,  I  pray  thee,  from  thy  servant."  And 
after  Abraham  took  leave  of  the  Shekhina  he  returned, 
and  bowed  to  them  and  brought  them  under  the  tree,  as 
it  is  written  [ibid.  4]  :  "  Let  a  Httle  water,  etc.,  be  fetched, 
and  wash,  etc."  ;  And  then  he  said  [ibid.,  ibid.]  :  "  I  will 
fetch  a  morsel  of  bread."  Lot,  however,  said  [ibid.  xix.  2]  : 
"  And  tarry  all  night,  and  (then)  wash  your  feet  ?  "  Some 
of  the  anonymous  teachers  observe  that  in  this  very  point 
Lot  showed  his  prudence.  He  reasoned  :  If  the  Sodom- 
ites will  see  them  after  they  have  washed  their  faces, 
hands,  and  feet  {i.e.,  I  give  them  shelter  overnight),  they 
will  kill  me,  my  wife,  and  my  daughters  ;  but  let  the 
Sodomites  see  them  with  the  dust  on  their  feet,  they  will 
then  think  that  they  have  just  arrived. 

He  who  accompanies  his  master  ought  not  to  depart 
from  him  without  permission.  When  two  disciples  go  or 
sit  together  (they  need  not  ask  for  permission  from  each 
other),  they  are  both  equal. 

It  is  customary  that  when  entering,  the  master  of  the 
house  enters  first  and  the  guest  after  him,  and  when 
leavinor  the  house  the  oruest  leaves  first  and  the  master 
after  him.  And  he  who  departs  from  his  comrade,  whether 
his  comrade  is  greater  than  he  or  he  is  greater  than  his 
comrade,  he  must  inform  him  of  his  leaving.  And  every 
one  may  learn  this  from  the  Lord,  who  said  to  Abraham, 
**  I  leave  you,"  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xviii.  2)Z\  '■  "  -^"^ 
the  Lord  went  away  when  he  had  finished  speaking  with 
Abraham  ;  and  Abraham  returned  unto  his  place  "  (from 
the  wording,  "and  the  Lord  went  away,"  it  is  inferred 
that  He  informed  him). 


CHAPTER    V. 

Never  shall  a  man  enter  the  house  of  his  neighbor 
without   permission,   and  this  conduct  may  be  learned 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ— RABBA.  9 

from  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  who  stood  at  the 
gate   of  the   garden,  and   called   to   Adam  [Gen.  iii.  9]  : 
"And  the  Lord  God  called  unto  the  man,  and  said  unto 
him.    Where    art    thou?"     It    happened  with   the    four 
elders    Rabban    Gamaliel,    R.    Jchoshua,    R.    Elazar   b. 
Azariah,  and  R.  Aqiba,  who  went  to  the  interior  cities  of 
Rome,  in   one  of  which  there  lived  a  friend  of  theirs,  a 
philosopher — R.  Jehoshua  asked  Rabban  Gamaliel  if  he 
would  like  to  go  and  see  their  friend  the  philosopher,  and 
he  answered  he  would  not.      On  the  next  morning,  how- 
ever, he  asked  him  again,  and  he  said  he  would.     They 
then  went,  and  R.  Jehoshua  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
philosopher,  and  at  once  the  philosoper  concluded  that 
this    must    be    the   manner    of   a  wise   man.     When   he 
knocked   again,  the   philosopher  arose    and  washed  his 
face,  hands,  and  feet.     When  he  knocked  the  third  time, 
the  philosopher  opened  the  door,  and  saw  that  the  sages  of 
Israel  were  coming  from  both  sides  of  the  street ;  namely, 
Rabban  Gamaliel  being  in  the  centre,  R.  Jehoshua  and 
R.  Elazar  b.  Azariah  to  his  right,  and  R.  Aqiba  to  his 
left,   and  the   philosopher  was  somewhat   puzzled  as  to 
the  manner  of  saluting  them.      He  said  within  himself  : 
"Whom  of  the  sages  shall   I   greet  first?     If  I   should 
greet  R.  Gamaliel  first,  I  might  thereby  offend  the  other 
sages ;    and   if   I    should  address   my  greeting  to  all  of 
them  (without  naming  the  head  of  them),  I  will  offend  R. 
Gamaliel."    He  therefore  concluded  to  address  them  thus  : 
"  Peace  to  you,  sages  of  Israel,  and  to  R.  Gamaliel  first." 
Always  consider  strangers    as    burglars,    and   at    the 
same  time  honor  them  as  if  each  of  them  were  R.  Gama- 
liel himself.      It  happened  to  R.  Jehoshua   that   a   man 
called  at  his  house,  and  he  gave  him  to  eat  and  drink, 
and  took  him  up  to  the  roof  to  sleep  there,  and  then  re- 
moved  the   step-ladder  leading  to   the  roof.     The  man 
was  a  thief,  and  arose  by  night,  and  took  things  of  value 
that  Rabbi  Jehoshua  had  on  the  roof  and  packed  them  up 
in  his  garment,  and  in  the  attempt  to  descend  and  carry  off 


lo  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

the  booty  he  fell  down  and  almost  broke  his  neck.  When 
R.  Jehoshua  came  in  the  morning  and  found  him  in  that 
condition,  he  said  to  him:  "You  ignoramus,  is  this  the 
way  people  like  you  do  ?"  He  answered  :  "  Rabbi,  I  did 
not  suspect  that  persons  of  your  station  would  remove 
the  ladder."  And  he  rejoined  :  "  Did  you  not  notice 
yesterday  that  I  was  cautious  about  you  ?  "  From  that 
time  on  R.  Jehoshua  proclaimed  that  always  should 
strangers  be  considered  as  burglars,  and  still  one  should 
honor  them  as  he  would  R.  Gamaliel. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

One  who  enters  his  neighbor's  house  shall  do  what 
he  is  told  by  the  host  (provided  it  is  legitimate).  And  it 
happened  that  guests  came  to  the  house  of  Simeon  b. 
Antiptaris,  and  he  invited  them  to  eat  and  drink,  and 
they  vowed  by  the  Torah  that  they  would  not  do  so. 
Nevertheless,  they  afterwards  ate  and  drank  ;  but  when 
they  were  about  to  depart,  he  punished  them  with  stripes. 
When  this  came  to  the  ears  of  R.  Johanan  b.  Zakkai  and 
the  sages,  they  became  angry,  and  said,  "  Who  will  go 
and  inform  him  of  our  displeasure?"  Said  R.  Jehoshua  : 
"  I  will  go  and  investigate."  When  he  came  there  he 
found  him  on  the  threshold  of  his  house,  and  he  greeted 
him,  saying:  **  Peace  to  you,  master"  ;  and  he  answered, 
"Peace  to  you,  my  master  and  teacher."  Then  Rabbi 
Jehoshua  said:  "I  need  shelter."  And  he  answered: 
"Take  it  here  in  peace."  They  then  occupied  themselves 
with  the  study  of  the  Law  until  evening.  In  the  morning 
he  told  him  :  "  Rabbi,  I  would  like  to  take  a  bath."  And 
he  rejoined  :  "  Do  as  you  please."  R.  Jehoshua,  how- 
ever, was  afraid  that  he  would  beat  him.  When  he  re- 
turned from  the  bath,  they  ate  and  drank.  When  he 
desired  to  leave,  he  said  :  "  Who  will  accompany  me  ?  " 
And  the  host  said  :  "  I  will."     R.  Jehoshua  then  thought 


TRACT  DERECH   ERETZ— RABBA.  u 

to  himself :  "  What  information  can  I  give  to  the  sages 
who  sent  me  here?"  He  then  looked  backward,  and 
when  he  asked  him  :  "  Rabbi,  what  arc  you  looking  for  ?  " 
he  answered  :  "  I  would  like  to  question  you  about  one 
thing.  Why  did  you  beat  others  who  came  to  your 
house  with  stripes,  and  you  did  not  do  so  to  me?"  He 
rejoined  :  "  You  are  my  master.  You  are  a  great  sage, 
and  of  course  your  manners  are  refined.  The  other 
men,  however,  that  came  to  me,  I  told  to  eat  and  drink, 
and  they  vowed  by  the  Torah  that  they  would  not,  and 
afterwards  they  disregarded  their  vow  ;  and  I  have  heard 
from  the  sages  that  one  who  vows  by  the  Torah  and  dis- 
regards his  vows  is  to  be  punished  with  forty  stripes." 
He  then  answered  :  "Be  thou  blessed  by  Heaven,  that 
thou  hast  done  so.  I  swear  by  thy  life  that  he  who  thus 
conducts  himself  deserves  that  thou  give  him  forty  stripes 
in  thy  name,  and  another  forty  in  the  name  of  the  sages 
who  sent  me  to  investigate  thy  method."  R.  Jehoshua 
then  came  back  and  informed  the  sages  of  what  he  had 
discovered  in  Simeon  Antiptaris. 

A  man  shall  never  be  angry  at  his  meals.  It  happened 
with  Hillel  the  First  that  he  invited  a  man  to  a  meal.  In 
the  meantime  a  poor  man  came  and  stood  at  his  door, 
and  said  to  his  wife  :  "I  am  to  marry  to-day,  and  I  have 
nothing  in  my  house."  His  wife  then  took  the  meal  she 
had  prepared  for  the  house,  and  gave  it  to  him.  She  then 
kneaded  a  new  dough,  and  cooked  other  dishes,  and 
served  them  before  her  husband  and  the  guest.  Hillel 
said  then  to  her  :  "  My  child,  what  is  the  reason  of  the 
delay?"  And  she  related  to  him  what  happened.  He 
then  remarked:  "My  daughter,  I  have  also  judged  you 
from  the  favorable  side,  because  it  is  known  to  mc  that 
all  that  you  do  is  for  the  sake  of  Heaven." 

Corner-tithe  for  the  poor  is  not  set  aside  in  the  cook- 
ing-pot, but  in  the  dish.  It  happened  with  R.  Jehoshua, 
etc.  (See  Erubin,  pp.  120,  121,  for  the  whole  legend 
repeated  here.) 


12  THE  BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

Always  shall  a  man  try  to  agree  with  the  majority  of 
the  people  (this  is  explained  in  Khethuboth,  p.  i6b,  and 
will  be  translated  there).  For  the  first  meal-benediction, 
the  hard  part  and  not  the  soft  part  of  the  bread  is  to  be 
used.  Never  shall  a  man  hold  a  slice  of  bread  of  the  size 
of  an  Ggg  and  bite  from  it,  and  one  who  does  so  is  called 
a  glutton  ;  and  one  shall  not  drain  his  cup  of  wine  at  a 
draught  (see  Pesachim,  p.  171),  and  if  he  does  so  he  is 
considered  a  glutton.  But  how  shall  he  do.''  If  he  does 
it  in  two  draughts,  it  is  respectable  ;  if  in  three,  it  is 
considered  putting  on  airs. 

One  shall  not  begin  to  eat  the  heads,  but  the  leaves 
of  garlic  or  onions.  If  he  does  so,  he  also  is  called  a 
glutton.  One  shall  not  drink  two  cups  of  wine  before 
the  after-meal  benediction  (and  subsequently  pronounce 
the  benediction  without  a  goblet,  but  he  shall  leave  one 
goblet  for  the  benediction.  The  commentaries  explained 
this  otherwise,  the  reason  being  that  there  should  be  no 
**  pairs  " — see  Betzah,  p.  49 — but  we  cannot  agree  with 
them)  ;   if  he  do  so,  he  can  be  taken  for  a  glutton. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

When  two  are  sitting  at  the  table,  the  elder  one  com- 
mences to  eat  first  and  the  younger  one  after  him  ;  and  if 
the  younger  commences  first,  he  is  a  glutton.  It  hap- 
pened that  R.  Aqiba  prepared  a  meal  for  his  disciples 
consisting  of  two  dishes  of  meat,  one  half-roasted  and  the 
other  one  well  cooked.  The  half-roasted  was  served  first ; 
the  most  sensible  of  them  took  the  whole  piece  into  his 
one  hand  and  with  his  other  hand  he  tried  to  break  off 
some  part  of  it,  but  could  not,  and  he  placed  it  back  and 
ate  bread  alone.  One  of  them,  who  was  less  sensible, 
took  the  whole  piece  and  bit  off  a  piece.  Said  R.  Aqiba 
to  him  :  "  Not  so,  my  son.  Put  thy  foot  on  it  in  the  dish, 
and  then  you  will  probably  succeed  better."     Finally,  the 


TRACT  DERECH   ERETZ— RABBA.  13 

well-cooked  meat  was  served,  and  they  ate  and  were  satis- 
fied. Then  said  R.  Aqiba  to  them  :  "  My  children,  I  did 
all  that  to  see  whether  you  had  refined  manners." 

One  shall  not  eat  before  the  fourth  hour,  neither  shall 
he  take  a  bath  prior  to  that  hour.  Hot  water  in  large 
quantities  is  injurious  to  one's  body,  but  in  small  ones  is 
beneficial.  The  same  is  the  case  with  wine.  Three 
things  are  equal  one  to  the  other :  wisdom,  fear  of  God, 
and  modesty.  One  shall  not  rejoice  among  those  who 
are  weeping,  neither  shall  he  weep  among  those  who 
rejoice ;  he  shall  not  be  awake  among  those  who  are 
asleep,  nor  shall  he  sleep  among  those  who  are  awake  ; 
he  shall  not  be  standing  among  those  who  are  seated,  nor 
shall  he  be  seated  among  those  who  are  standing.  This 
is  the  rule  :  One  shall  not  have  different  manners  from 
those  of  his  friends  and  of  people  in  general  among  whom 
he  is. 


CHAPTER    Vni. 

One  who  enters  a  house  shall  not  ask  for  food,  but 
shall  wait  until  invited.  When  the  goblet  is  filled,  he 
shall  drink  it  slowly.  What  is  meant  by  slowly  ?  If  it  is 
a  cold  beverage— in  four  draughts  ;  if  a  warm  beverage — 
in  three.  Said  R.  Jehudah  :  This  applies  to  the  goblets 
of  Galilee,  but  as  regards  the  goblets  of  Judah,  which 
were  larger,  he  may  drink  it  as  slow  as  he  pleases.  One 
must  not  say  to  his  friend  :  "  Come  and  eat  with  me,  as 
I  did  with  you,"  for  it  gives  the  impression  that  he  wants 
to  repay  with  interest.  In  Jerusalem,  however,  they 
invited  each  other  in  turn.  One  shall  not  send  to  his 
friend  a  barrel  of  wine  with  oil  on  the  top  thereof,  because 
a  serious  accident  may  result  from  it.  It  actually  hap- 
pened that  one  invited  his  friends  to  his  son's  wedding, 
and  when  going  down  to  his  cellar  to  get  wine,  he  noticed 
that  the  barrel  had  oil  (on  the  top,  and  thinking  that  it 


J4  THE  BABYLONIAN  TALIMUD. 

was  all  filled  with  oil)  he  hanged  himself  for  shame,  and 
died      Hence  the  above  warning  is  given. 

One  should  not  say  to  his  neighbor,   "  Take  oil  from 
that  jug  and  anoint  thyself,"  knowing  that  it  is  empty 
(even  when  knowing  that  the  man  has  no  habit  of  anomt- 
ing  himself),  because  he  puts  the  man  under  obligation 
to  him  for  nothing.     The  same  holds  good  of  food  :  one 
should  not  ask  his  neighbor  to  take  a  meal  with  him  when 
he  knows  that  he  would  not  do  so.     One  should  also  not 
offer  presents  to  his  neighbor,  knowing  that  he  would  not 
accept  them,  for  the  same  reason.     One  should  not  serve 
his  neighbor  with  new  wine,  telling  him  that  it  is  old 
wine,  because  it  is  equivalent  to   robbery   (if  he  takes 
money  from  him,  and  even  if  he  does  not  take  money 
from  him  he  deceives  him).     For  the  same  reason,  when 
one  serves  wine  to  ass-drivers,  he  shall  not  say:  "la-e 
it  away  from  this  one  (whom  he  does  not  like),  and  give 
it  to  the  other  one."     When  one  is  in  the  grain-market 
and  has  no  intention  of  buying,  he  should  not  ask  for  the 
prices,  for  he  misleads  the  sellers. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

One  should  not  use  a  slice  of  bread  to  cover  there- 
with a  dish.     One  should  not  wipe  the  dish  with  a  piece 
of  bread  and  lay  it  on  the  table,  for  he  disturbs  the  mind 
of  his  neighbor.     For  the  same  reason,  one  shall  not  bite 
off  a  piece  of  bread  and  place  the  remainder  in  the  dish 
intended  for  another  person.     One  should  also  not  drink 
from  a  goblet  and  give  the  balance  to  another  one  to 
drink,  for  it  may  cause  danger  to  life.     It  happened  that 
R    Aqiba   stopped  at  the  inn  of  a  certain  person,  who 
offered  him   a  goblet,  first   tasting  its  contents,  and  R. 
Aqiba  told  him  to  drink  the  whole  of  it.    He  offered  him 
another  one,  first  having  tasted  it.     R.  Aqiba  told  mm 
to  drink  it  all,  until  Ben  Azai  said  to  him  :  "  How  long 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ— RABP.A.  15 

wilt  thou  continue  doing  so?"  It  again  happened  that 
R.  Aqiba  was  lodging  with  a  certain  person,  and  he 
placed  a  piece  of  bread  underneath  the  dish  to  support  it, 
and  R.  Aqiba  took  hold  of  it  and  swallowed  it.  Said  the 
man  to  R.  Aqiba :  "  Rabbi,  had  you  no  other  bread  to 
eat  than  that  piece  with  which  I  supported  the  dish?" 
And  he  answered  :  "  First,  I  thought  that  you  could  burn 
yourself  with  lukewarm  water  {i.e.,  you  will  understand  a 
slight  hint).  Now  I  see  that  you  cannot  burn  yourself 
even  with  boiling  water."  One  shall  also  not  empty  his 
cup  and  then  place  it  on  the  table,  but  he  shall  keep  it  in 
his  hand  until  taken  away  by  the  waiter. 

Five  things  said  Rabbi  in  regard  to  bread,  namely  : 
Raw  meat  must  not  be  placed  on  bread,  nor  shall  a  cup 
or  dish  be  placed  on   bread,  nor  shall  bread  be  used  to 
support  a  dish,  nor  shall  it  be  thrown  from  place  to  place  ; 
nor  shall  one  sit  at  the  table  when  others  are  eating,  for 
he  disturbs  their  appetite.     One  who  comes  to  the  table 
to  take  his  meal  shall  not  take  his  portion  and  give  it  to 
the  waiter,  for  the  reason   that  some  unforeseen   thing 
may  happen  during  the  meal  (and  his  portion  may  be 
needed)  ;  but  he  shall  place  it  in  front  of  him  until  the 
end  of  the  meal,  and  then  give  it  to  him.     Guests  must 
not  give  anything  to  the  son  of  the  host,  nor  to  his  ser- 
vant" or  messenger,  without  the  permission  of  the  host. 
It  happened  once  with  a  man  who  invited  three  guests  m 
years  of  famine,  that  he  served  them  three  eggs.     The 
son  of   the  host  then  came  and  stood  in  front  of  them, 
and  the  first  guest  took  his  portion  and  gave  it  to  hmi, 
and  so  did  the  second  and  third.    When  the  host  returned, 
and  found  his  son  holding  one  in  his  mouth  and  one  m 
each  hand,  he  raised  him  full  height  and  struck  him  to 
the  ground,  and  he  died.   The  mother,  hearing  of  what  hap- 
pened when  standing  on  the  roof,  was  so  shocked  that  she 
fell  down  dead.    When  the  father  heard  this,  he  also  threw 
himself  from  the  roof,  and  died.     Then  R.  Elazar  said  : 
"Three  human  beings  were  killed  on  account  of  this. 


j6  THE  BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 


CHAPTER   X. 

One  who  enters  the  bath-house  may  say  :  "  Let  it  be 
thy  will,  God  my  Lord,  that  thou  cause  me  to  come  in 
and  go  out  in  peace,  that  thou  cause  me  to  return  to 
my  place  in  peace,  and  save  me  from  this  and  from  similar 
peril  in  the  world  to  come." 

How  should  one  conduct  himself  before  bathing  ? 
Thus:  He  shall  first  remove  his  shoes,  take  off  his  hat, 
remove  his  overcoat,  take  off  his  girdle,  then  take  off  his 
shirt,  and  after  all  the  drawers.  After  bathing,  when  a 
towl  is  brought  to  him,  he  first  wipes  his  head  and  then 
the  other  parts  of  his  body.  When  the  oil  is  brought  to 
him,  he  shall  first  anoint  his  head  and  then  other  mem- 
bers of  his  body,  and  then  he  shall  put  on  first  his  draw- 
ers, then  his  shirt,  the  girdle,  then  he  shall  wrap  himself 
in  his  mantle,  and  then  he  shall  put  on  his  hat,  and  then 
his  shoes.  And  if  he  has  his  son,  his  slave,  or  bonds- 
man, they  shall  do  it  for  him.  Always  shall  the  right 
shoe  be  put  on  first,  and  then  the  left  one ;  and  when 
taking  off"  the  shoes,  the  left  one  shall  be  taken  ofT  first. 
One  who  enters  a  bath-house  must  not  fatigue  himself, 
nor  excite  himself,  but  let  him  be  in  every  respect  care- 
ful. Said  R.  Simeon  b.  Gamaliel:  "One  who  is  not 
careful  is  an  ass's  equal  ;  one  who  eats  in  the  market  is  a 
dog's  equal "  ;  and  according  to  others,  he  is  ineligible  to 
be  a  witness.  In  the  toilet-room  the  one  who  enters 
must  not  hurry  the  one  who  is  sitting  there,  and  the 
same  is  in  a  bath-house.  One  shall  not  bring  oil  into  a 
bath-house  in  a  glass  vessel  (for  it  may  break  and  cause 
injury).  One  must  not  spit  in  the  presence  of  his  neigh- 
bor, even  in  a  bath-house.  The  law  relating  to  a  bath- 
house and  toilet  may  be  discussed  in  the  respective 
places,  but  other  things  must  not  be  discussed,  not  alone 
in  the  bathing-room  but  in  the  dressing-room,  and  even 


TRACT  DERECH   ERETZ— RABBA.  17 

when  the  majority  of  the  persons  were  dressed  as  well, 
because  when  even  a  few  are  undressed  all  are  considered 
undressed.  One  shall  not  greet  his  neighbor  when  he  is 
washing  himself  ;  and  if  he  does  so,  the  other  may  answer 
him  that  it  is  a  bath-house.  According  to  others,  he  may 
answer  the  greeting,  and  there  is  nothing  in  it.  One 
should  not  put  his  foot  in  a  bath-tub  when  another  one 
is  sitting  in  It,  for  it  is  a  disgrace  for  the  one  bathing. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

He  who  walks  the  road,  etc.    (See  the  whole  Boraitha 
in  Yomah,  pages  27,  28,  paragraph  :  "  We  have  learned 
according  to  R.  Shila").     One  who,  soon  after  returning 
from  the  road,  takes  a  bath,  gets  Intoxicated,  sleeps  on 
the  bare   floor,  and   indulges   in  congrcssu  fevtincc,   his 
blood  is  on  his  head  (it  is  equivalent  to  suicide).*     He 
who  sells  his  books,  or  his  daughter,  etc.      (See  Megilln, 
p.  73.)     R.  Itzhaksays:  "A   common  informer  is  con- 
sidered a  murderer,  as  it  is  written  [Lev.  xix.  16]  :  '  Thou 
shalt  not  go  up  and  down  as  a  tale-bearer  among  thy 
people.'"     R.  EHezer  said:   "He  who  hates  his  neigh- 
bor without  cause  is  also  considered  such,  as  it  is  written 
[Dcut.  xlx.  11]:    'But  if  any  man  be  an  enemy  to  his 
neighbor,'  etc.  {i.e.,  if  he  is  so,  he  is  capable  of  doing 
Vv'hat  is  further  written  in  the  verse)."     Ben  Azai  says  : 
"  He  who  hates  his  wife  is  also  considered  such,  as  it  is 
written  [ibid.  xxii.  13  and  14]  {i.e.,  if  he  hates  her  he  will 
finally  lay  an  accusation  against  her,  etc.,  and  he  will  hire 
witnesses  to  accuse  her  with  a  view  to  take  her  life)."    R. 
Jose  says  :  "  One  who  sets  a  definite  time  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  Israel  through  Messiah  will  have  no  share  in  the 
world  to  come.     And  the  same  applies  to  one  who  hates 
the  scholars  and  their  disciples.     The  same  applies  to  a 

*  Here  the  Boraitha  continues  to  enumerate  things  dangerous  to  life  and  health 
which  seem  to  us  unimportant  in  our  age,  and  tlicrcfore  wc  omit  them. 
2 


i8  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

false  prophet  and  a  slanderer."  R.  Meir  says  :  "  One  who 
has  a  house  of  learning  in  his  town,  and  is  able  to  go  there 
but  does  not  do  so,  is  not  worthy  of  living,  as  it  is  written 
[Numb.  XV.  31]  :  '  Because  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath  he 
despised;'  etc."  Haughtiness  is  equivalent  to  idolatry, 
as  it  is  written  [Deut.  vii.  26]  :  "And  thou  shalt  not  bring 
an  abomination  with  thy  house  ; "  and  it  is  also  written 
[Prov.  xvi.  5]  :  "  An  abomination  of  the  Lord  is  every 
one  that  is  proud  of  heart."  Since  the  abomination  men- 
tioned in  Deuteronomy  is  idolatry,  and  the  same  expres- 
sion is  used  in  Proverbs,  hence  we  learn  that  haughtiness 
is  equivalent  to  idolatry.* 

*  Here  follows  the  benediction  before  retiring,  etc.,  which  will  be  explained  in 
the  proper  tract. 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ-ZUTA. 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  qualities  of  the  sages  are :  Modesty,  meekness, 
eagerness,  courage,  bearing  wrongs  done  to  them,  and 
being  endeared  to  every  one  ;  submission  to  the  members 
of  their  household,  fear  of  sin,  and  judging  every  one 
according  to  his  deeds. 

Their  thought  concerning  this  world  is  :  All  that  is  in 
this  world  is  of  no  importance  to  me,  for  this  world  is 
not  mine.  They  are  occupied  in  teaching  others,  and  no 
one  can  see  in  their  teaching  anything  wrong.  Their 
questions  are  to  the  point  and  their  answers  are  accord- 
ing to  the  Law. 

One  shall  always  be  like  an  air-bag  which  is  open  to 
receive  the  air,  and  as  a  deep  excavation  which  preserves 
the  water  therein  contained,  and  as  a  glazed  jug  that  pre- 
serves the  wine  therein  ;  as  a  sponge  that  absorbs  every- 
thing. Be  as  the  lower  threshold  that  all  tread  upon, 
andtas  a  nail  in  the  wall  that  is  within  the  reach  of  every 
one  to  hang  his  clothes  on. 

If  you  have  sustained  a  loss  of  your  property,  remem- 
ber that  Job  lost  his  property,  children,  and  health.  Be 
careful  about  all  that  you  see  with  your  eyes,  for  the  prin- 
cipal deception  is  by  the  eye.  Be  careful  with  your  teeth 
(with  your  meals),  that  you  should  not  eat  too  much.  Do 
not  discuss  with  the  Sadducees,  that  you  shall  not  fall  into 
the  Gehenna.  When  you  hear  others  insult  you,  do  not 
answer  them.  If  people  are  praising  you  for  having  done 
a  great  thing,  you  shall  nevertheless  consider  it  of  no  im- 


20  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

portance.  An  ordinary  man  shall  be  considered  to  your 
eyes  great,  if  you  have  insulted  him,  until  you  shall  have 
asked  him  to  forgive  you.  This  passage  may  also  be  so 
rendered  :  If  others  say  something  bad  about  thee,  though 
it  be  of  a  serious  nature,  treat  it  as  insignificant.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  if  thou  say  something  bad  about  others, 
though  it  be  insignificant,  thou  shouldst  regard  it  as 
serious  and  have  no  rest  until  thou  beg  pardon.  Your 
behavior  shall  not  be  bad,  for  this  is  no  praise  for  the 
Torah  (which  you  possess,  but  let  your  behavior  be  good, 
for  this  is  a  praise  for  the  Torah). 

Love  the  Law,  and  respect  it ;  love  all  creatures,  and 
respect  them.  Subject  your  will  to  the  will  of  others,  as 
was  done  by  Leah  for  Rachel  and  by  David  for  Saul. 
But  ignore  your  will,  and  even  the  will  of  others,  for  the 
will  of  Heaven,  as  we  find  by  Jacob  that  he  did  not  kiss 
Joseph  (because  he  was  engaged  in  prayer).  Love  doubt- 
fulness {i.e.,  everything  shall  be  doubtful  to  you  until  you 
convince  yourself  of  it),  and  hate  the  expression  :  "  And 
what  of  it?"  (?^<?.,  even  of  the  most  unimportant  things 
you  should  not  express  yourself  thus).  Keep  aloof  from 
everything  that  may  bring  to  sin,  and  from  the  abominable, 
and  from  what  is  equal  to  it,  that  you  should  not  be  sus- 
pected by  others  of  transgression.  Do  not  slander  your 
neighbor,  because  he  who  does  so  has  no  remedy.  Keep 
aloof  from  grumbling,  for  by  grumbling  you  may  come  to 
growl  at  others,  and  it  will  be  added  to  your  transgres- 
sions. With  seven  patriarchs  covenants  were  made,  and 
they  are  :  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Aaron,  Pinchas, 
and  David — Abraham  [Gen.  xv.  i8],  Isaac  [ibid.  xvli.  21], 
Jacob  [Lev.  xxvi.  42],  Moses  [Ex.  xxxiv.  27],  Aaron 
[Numb,  xviii.  19],  Pinchas  [ibid.  xxv.  12],  David  [Ps. 
Ixxxix.  4].  Seven  patriarchs  are  resting  in  glory,  and 
worm  and  maggot  do  not  affect  their  earthly  remains,  and 
they  are  :  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Aaron,  Amram 
their  father,  and,  according  to  others,  also  David,  as  it  is 
written  [ibid.  xvi.  9]  :  "  Therefore  is  rejoiced  my  heart, 


TRACT  DERECH  ERETZ— ZUTA.         21 

and  my  spirit  is  glad ;  also  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  safety." 
Nine  entered  the  Garden  of  Eden  when  they  were  still 
alive,  and  they  are  :  Enoch  (Chanoch)  the  son  of  Jarcd, 
Elijah  Messiah,  Eliezer  the  bondsman  of  Abraham, 
Hirom  the  king  of  Zor,  Ebed-melech  the  Cushi  [Jcr. 
xxxviii.  7],  and  Jabctz  the  son  of  R.  Jehudah  the  Prince, 
Bothiah  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  and  Serech  the  daughter 
of  Ascher,  and,  according  to  others,  also  R.  Jehoshua  b. 
Levi. 

CHAPTER   II. 

Let  all  thy  ways  be  for  the  sake  of  Heaven.     Love 
Heaven,  and  fear  it.     Tremble  at,  and  at  the  same  time 
rejoice  over,  all  commandments.     Sit  before  the  elders, 
and   let   thy  ears  be   attentive  to  their  words.     Incline 
thine  ears  to  the  words  of  thy  comrade.     Be  not  hasty  in 
answering,  and  consider  everything  from  the  right  point, 
and  answer  to  the  first  question  first,  and  to  the  last,  last ; 
and  always  confess  the  truth.     Do   not  discuss  in  the 
presence  of  one  who  is  greater  than  you  in  wisdom.     If 
somebody  wants  to  teach  you  something,  do  not  say  that 
you  have  heard   it  already.     If  you  arc  questioned  on 
the  most  unimportant  matter,  and  you  do  not  know  it. 
be  not  ashamed  to  say,  "  I  do  not  know."     If  somebody 
tauo-ht  you  something  and  you  did  not  listen  to  it,  be  not 
ashamed  to  say,   "Repeat  it  again";  and  say  not  that 
you  have  not  listened  to  it,  but  that  you  did  not  under- 
stand it.     Do  everything  for  the  sake  of  the  Creator,  and 
talk  of  thy  deeds  in  the  same  sense  (according  to  Elias 
Wilna).     Do  not  make  thy  merits  as  a  crown  to  be  glori- 
fied by  it,  and  not  as  a  hatchet  to  cleave  with  it,  nor  a 
spade  to  dig  with  it.     Accept  the  words  of  Law,  even 
when  you  are  in  affliction.     Do  not  seek  to  wrong  him 
who  wronged  you.     Let  thy  accounts  always  be  correct, 
and  thy  conduct  excellent.     Keep  thy   promise.     Love 
the    Law,    righteousness,    rebukes,    straightforwardness. 


22  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

Do  not  run  after  honor.  Be  not  proud  when  rendering 
a  decision  :  Consider  that  all  of  which  thou  art  possessed 
to-day  may  not  be  thine  to-morrow  ;  and  if  thou  art  not 
certain,  as  to  property  already  in  thy  possession,  that  it 
will  remain  with  thee,  what  is  the  use  of  thy  striving  to 
possess  what  belongs  to  others  ?  Remember  what  the 
prophet  says  [Habakkuk,  ii.  6]  :  "  Woe  to  him  that  in- 
creaseth  what  is  not  his!  for  how  long?  and  to  him  that 
loadeth  himself  with  a  burden  of  guilt ! "  Let  it  be  thy 
habit  to  finish  everything  in  a  good  manner.  Let  thy 
tongue  be  always  soft.  Be  a  good  mierchant",  pay  well, 
and  strive  always  to  do  good.  Be  afraid  of  a  light  sin, 
for  this  may  bring  you  to  a  grave  sin.  Respect  all  kind 
of  men.  Do  not  say,  I  will  flatter  this  man,  that  he  may 
give  me  food  ;  that  man,  to  give  me  beverages ;  that 
man,  to  cover  me  :  for  it  is  better  that  thou  shouldst  bear 
thine  own  shame  than  to  be  ashamed  of  others  who  v/iil 
do  so  unto  thee.  Take  care  that  thy  teeth  shall  not 
shame  thee,  and  thou  shalt  not  be  disgraced  by  thy  mouth, 
and  not  cursed  by  thy  tongue,  and  not  put  to  shame  by 
thy  lips.  Take  care  that  thou  shouldst  not  need  to  bow 
to  some  one  on  account  of  thine  own  words.  If  thou 
wishest  to  become  attached  to  thy  neighbor  through 
bonds  of  love,  always  consider  what  good  thou  art  able 
to  do  unto  him.  If  it  be  thy  wish  to  be  kept  away  from 
sin,  always  look  to  the  result  of  it.  If  thou  art  craving 
for  merits,  consider  carefully  their  details.  If  thou  hast 
done  much  good  to  some  one,  consider  it  as  very  little; 
and  thou  must  also  not  say  that  thou  hast  done  it  from 
what  belongs  to  thee,  because  there  is  One  v/ho  has  done 
that  unto  thee,  and  thou  art  obliged  to  thank  Heaven  for 
it.  If,  however,  some  one  has  done  thee  some  good,  con- 
sider it  as  if  he  has  done  much.  Do  not  say  that  Heaven 
has  done  good  to  me  because  of  my  good  deeds  ;  on  the 
contrary,  be  afraid  that  it  was  done  unto  thee  because  of 
thine  unworthy  deeds  [Deut.  vii.  lo]  :  "And  repayeth 
those  that  hate  him  to  their  face,  to  destroy  them."     If, 


TRACT   DERECH   ERETZ— ZUTA.  23 

however,  thou  hast  done  any  wrong,  consider  it  much,  and 
say:  "Woe  is  me  that  I  have  sinned,"  or,  "Woe  is  me 
that  I  was  the  cause  of  the  wrong."  If  others  have  done 
thee  much  wrong,  it  shall  be  considered  in  thine  eyes  as 
little,  and  say  :  "  This  is  only  a  part  of  the  retribution 
that  I  deserve." 

CHAPTER   III. 

Deliberate  before  a  word  passes  thy  lips,  and  be 
thoughtful  how  thou  shouldst  act  in  worldly  affairs.  See 
always  that  thy  steps  shall  be  rewarded.  Justify  the 
judgment  that  was  imposed  upon  thee  and  free  thyself 
from  anger.  Judge  favorably  thy  neighbor,  and  see  that 
thy  verdict  shall  not  make  him  guilty  (if  his  guilt  is  not 
fully  established).  Be  content  with  thy  share,  and  adorn 
thyself  with  the  little  thou  dost  possess.  Do  not  hate 
the  one  v/ho  reproves  thee.  Thy  share  wilt  be  blessed 
forever  if  thine  eye  will  always  be  good,  and  thy  soul 
always  satisfied.  Let  it  be  thy  habit  to  say,  "  I  do  not 
know"  (of  a  thing  that  thou  art  doubtful  about),  for  thou 
mayest  be  caught  lying.  If  thou  neglect  one  command, 
thou  wilt  finally  be  negligent  of  other  commandments. 
The  same  is  if  thou  hast  overlooked  the  words  of  the 
Law  willingly:  finally  thou  wilt  be  overlooked,  willingly 
or  unwillingly.  If  thou  hast  taken  away  others'  property, 
thine  will  be  taken  away. 

The  commencement  of  making  vows  is  the  door  to 
foolishness.  Frivolity  with  women  is  the  beginning  of 
adultery.  If  thou  hast  guaranteed  for  some  one,  remem- 
ber that  it  must  be  paid  by  thyself.  If  thou  hast  borrowed 
money,  know  that  thou  hast  borrowed  it  to  be  repaid  in 
time.  If  thou  hast  loaned  money  to  somebody,  be  pre- 
pared to  have  difficulty  in  collecting  it.  Remember  the 
time  thou  hast  to  repay,  and  settle  thy  accounts. 

The  following  fifteen  customs  are  ascribed  to  the  sages : 
He  is  pleasant  in  entering,  and  so  also  when  leaving;  is 


24  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

prudent  in  his  fear  for  Heaven  ;  versed  in  wisdom  ;  wise 
in  his  ways,  has  a  good  conception,  a  retentive  memory, 
is  clear  in  his  answers,  questions  to  the  point,  and  answers 
according  to  the  Law ;  he  learns  something  new  from 
every  chapter  taught  to  him  ;  he  is  going  to  the  wise  ;  he 
learns  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  it  and  performing  it. 

Be  as  the  lower  threshold,  upon  which  all  persons 
tread,  and  still  it  lasts  even  when  the  whole  building 
is  demolished. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Scholars  always  are  agreeable  in  society,  but  not  so 
ordinary  people.  He  who  occupies  himself  only  with  study 
of  the  Scripture  pursues  the  right  course,  yet  the  sages 
do  not  think  so  ;  with  Mishnayoth,  it  is  a  course  to  be  re- 
warded ;  but  he  who  occupies  himself  with  the  study  of 
the  Talmud  pursues  a  course  than  which  there  is  no  bet- 
ter. Still,  it  is  advisable  that  one  shall  occupy  himself  with 
the  study  of  Mishnayoth  more  than  with  that  of  the  Tal- 
mud. Do  not  exact  pay  for  thy  teaching.  Moreover, 
take  no  compensation  whatever  for  it,  for  the  Omnipo- 
tent has  given  His  teaching  to  thee  gratuitously;  for  the 
one  who  asks  for  reward  destroys  the  whole  world  (be- 
cause there  are  many  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  and 
will  remain  ignorant).  And  do  not  say  :  "  I  have  no 
money  to  live  on,  and  therefore  I  must  take  reward  for 
my  teaching."  Remember  all  money  is  the  Lord's,  as  it 
is  written  [Haggai,  ii.  8]  :  "  Mine  is  the  silver,  and  mine 
is  the  gold,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts"  (and  He  will  supply 
you  with  money). 

If  you  have  done  charity,  be  sure  that  you  will  be 
favored  with  money  ;  and  if  it  has  been  your  good  lot  to 
acquire  money,  do  charity  with  it  so  long  as  it  is  in  your 
power.  Give  it  to  those  who  need  it  in  this  world,  in 
order  that  you  may  get  the  world  to  come  ;  for  if  you  do 
not  use  it  for  charitable  purposes,  it  will  disappear  sud- 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ— ZUTA.  25 

denly,  as  it  is  written  [Prov.  xxiii.  5]  :  '*  When  thou  let- 
test  merely  thy  eyes  fly  over  it,  it  is  no  more."  Do  not 
complain  of  your  being  less  wise  than  another,  for  you 
have  not  served  (the  sages)  as  much  as  he  did.  Neither 
shall  you  complain  that  the  other  one  is  rich  and  you  are 
not,  for  it  is  not  every  man  who  is  favored  with  two 
tables  (of  this  and  of  the  world  to  come).  Do  not  com- 
plain that  another  one  is  beautiful  and  you  are  ugly,  for 
at  the  time  of  death  a  man  becomes  a  carcass  ;  moreover, 
a  carcass  of  any  animal  may  be  sold  or  presented  to 
somebody,  while  no  one  cares  even  to  look  at  a  human 
carcass.  Do  not  say  :  "  That  man  is  righteous,  while  I 
am  not"  ;  for  both  of  you  will  have  to  account.  Do  not 
say:  "  That  man  is  powerful,  while  I  am  weak"  ;  for  there 
is  no  iDower  aside  from  the  Torah,  as  it  is  written  [Ps. 
ciii.  20]:  "Bless  the  Lord,  ye  his  angels,  mighty  in 
strength,  that  execute  his  word,  hearkening  unto  the  voice 
of  his  word."  Bear  always  in  mind  the  following  :  Know 
whence  you  come,  whither  you  go,  and  before  whom  you 
will  have  to  render  an  account,  and  do  not  turn  your  eyes 
on  money  which  is  not  yours  ;  for  they  close  the  gates  of 
heaven  against  prayer.  Let  your  ears  not  listen  to  vain 
talk,  for  they  are  most  likely  to  get  burned.  Do  not 
slander,  for  the  mouth  will  be  first  on  the  day  of  judg- 
ment to  give  account.  Be  not  possessed  of  slander  or 
other  bad  things,  or  of  robbery,  for  all  the  members  of 
thy  body  will  testify  against  thee  on  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. Let  thy  feet  not  hasten  thee  to  evil-doing,  be- 
cause it  is  likely  that  the  angel  of  death  will  get  there 
sooner,  and  wait  for  thee.  Be  not  afraid  of  the  court  of 
justice  on  earth,  where  only  witnesses  may  be  bought, 
but  fear  the  Court  above,  because  thou  art  certain  that 
there  will  be  witnesses  who  will  testify  against  thee.  And 
not  only  this,  but  your  own  deeds  proclaim  thy  accusa- 
tion from  time  to  time. 

If  you  have  performed  all  my  commandments  with 
joy,  my  attendants  will  come  to  meet  you,  and  even  I  my- 


26  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

self  will  say  to  you  :  "  Let  thy  coming  be  in  peace." 
Your  eyes  that  never  looked  at  property  not  belonging 
to  you  shall  have  light  in  darkness,  as  it  is  written  [Is. 
Iviii.  lo]  :  "  Then  shall  shine  forth  in  the  darkness  thy 
light,  and  thy  obscurity  be  as  the  noonday."  Your  ears 
that  have  not  listened  to  vain  talk  shall  hear  of  peace  in 
the  world  to  come,  as  it  is  written  [ibid.  xxx.  21]  :  "And 
thy  ears  shall  hear  the  world  behind  thee,  saying,  This  is 
the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand, 
and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left."  Your  mouth  that  has  not 
slandered  will  be  coveted  by  those  who  were  used  to 
slander.  Your  mouth  that  has  studied  the  Torah  v/ill  be 
a  blessing  to  those  who  Vv^ish  to  be  blessed.  Your  hands 
that  have  kept  away  from  robbery,  what  can  do  unto  you 
those  Vv^ho  do  injustice?  Your  hands  that  you  have  not 
withdrawn  from  doing  charity,  what  can  do  to  you  those 
mighty  men  ?  Your  feet  that  have  not  carried  you  to 
sin,  what  can  the  angel  of  death  do  unto  you  ? 

All  that  is  said  above  is  a  warning  to  you,  and  you 
may  do  as  you  please,  but  do  not  say  that  you  were  not 
warned. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  SCHOLAR  must  not  eat  standingly,  nor  lick  his  fin- 
gers, nor  yawn  in  presence  of  others.  Talk  little,  laugh 
little,  sleep  little,  indulge  little  in  pleasure,  say  little 
"yea"  and  little  *'  nay."  One  has  always  to  know  v/ith 
whom  he  is  sitting,  near  v/hom  he  is  standing,  with  v/hom 
he  is  eatino-  with  whom  he  is  conversincr,  for  whom  he 
signs  contracts  and  notes  of  debt.  By  four  things  the 
scholar  is  recognized  :  his  pocket,  his  goblet,  his  anger, 
and  his  dress  ;  and,  some  say,  even  his  talk.  The  beauty 
of  the  Law  is  wisdom  ;  the  beauty  of  wisdom  is  modesty  ; 
the  beauty  of  modesty  is  the  fear  of  Heaven  ;  the  beauty 
of  the  fear  of  Heaven  is  noble  performance ;  the  beauty 


TRACT   DERECH   ERETZ— ZUTA.  27 

of  noble  performance  is  secrecy  (i.e.,  not  publicly,  for  the 
purpose  of  being  praised).  One  shall  not  be  awake,  etc. 
(see  above). 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Four  things  are  derogatory  to  scholars:  to  walk  alone 
in  the  dark  (and  arouse  suspicion)  ;  to  be  perfumed  ;  to 
be  the  last  in  entering  a  prayer-house,  and  to  hold  much 
discourse  at  a  meeting  of  dunces. 

When  entering,  the  greater  shall  be  first  ;  when 
leaving,  the  smaller  shall  be  first.  When  ascending 
steps,  the  greater  shall  be  first ;  when  descending,  the 
smaller  shall  be  the  first.  At  a  public  meeting,  the 
greater  shall  have  the  preference.  When  entering  a 
prison,  the  smaller  shall  do  so  hrst.  For  saying  bene- 
dictions, the  greater  is  first.  The  one  entering  the  house 
must  always  greet  first  the  one  who  is  in  the  house.  One 
must  not  lean  at  meals  (as  was  the  custom  in  the  Orient) 
when  a  greater  man  than  he  is  at  the  table.  One  shall 
not  drink  in  public  unless  he  turns  away  his  face  from 
the  bystanders.  The  first  step  to  sin  is  in  one's  thoughts, 
the  second  is  scorn,  the  third  is  haughtiness,  the  fourth 
is  cruelty,  the  fifth  is  idleness,  the  sixth  is  causeless  hatred, 
and  the  seventh  is  an  evil  eye ;  and  these  were  meant  by 
Solomon  [Prov.  xxvi.  25]  :  "For  there  are  seven  abomi- 
nations in  his  heart." 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Seven  things  mark  the  clod,  etc.  (See  Aboth,  Chap. 
v.,  Mishna/.)  A  scholar  must  be  careful  in  his  eating, 
drinking,  washing,  anointing,  in  wearing  the  sandals,  in 
his  walking,  dressing,  in  the  use  of  his  voice,  in  the  act  of 
spittincr,  and  also  with  all  his  good  deeds.  As  a  bride, 
who    so  long   as   she   is   in  her  father's  house  pursues 


28  THE   BABYLONIAN  TALMUD. 

privacy  and  modesty,  and  when  she  is  given  away  in 
marriage  announces  publicly,  saying  :  "  All  those  who  can 
come  to  testify  against  me,  let  them  come  and  do  so,"  so 
a  scholar  must  pursue  privacy  in  his  deeds  but  publicity 
in  his  ways  ;  namely,  he  must  run  after  truth  but  not 
after  falsehood,  after  honesty  but  not  after  robbery,  after 
modesty  but  not  after  haughtiness,  after  peace  but  not 
after  war,  after  the  advice  of  the  old  but  not  after  that 
of  the  young.  He  shall  rather  follow  behind  a  lion  than 
behind  a  woman. 

Who  respects  the  sages  ?  he  Vv^ho  gives  food,  drink, 
dress,  shoes,  goes  out  to  meet  and  accompanies  when 
leaving,  without  distinction  between  rabbi  or  disciple. 
And  who  shows  them  disrespect  ?  he  who  occupies  the 
seat  of  his  m^aster  even  during  his  absence,  or  substitutes 
him  (without  permission)  in  lecturing,  or  contradicts  him. 


CHAPTER    IX.* 

R.  Eliezer  the  Kapar  said  :  Keep  aloof  from  anger, 
for  by  being  angry  at  others  you  will  add  to  your  trans- 
gression. Love  your  admonisher,  for  by  doing  so  you 
will  add  wisdom  to  your  ability  ;  and  rather  shun  the  one 
who  honors  you,  that  your  wisdom  be  not  lessened.  Love 
the  prayer-house,  in  order  that  you  shall  be  rewarded  daily ; 
and  the  house  of  learning,  in  order  that  your  children 
shall  come  to  study.  Love  the  poor,  in  order  that  your 
children  shall  not  come  to  poverty.  Love  modesty,  that 
you  may  enjoy  longevity ;  love  the  pious,  in  order  that 
you  may  be  saved  from  the  black  angel.  Be  careful  in  the 
reading  of  Shema,  and  prayer  in  general,  in  order  that 
you  be  saved  from  Gehenna.  Your  house  shall  be  wide 
open,  in  order  that  you  shall  never  lack  food.  Be  care- 
ful that  the  doors  of  your  house  shall  not  be  closed  when 
you   take  your  meals,   that   you   may  not   be   punished 

*  Chapters  VIII.  and  X.  are  a  repetition  of  what  was  stated  in  other  places. 


TRACT   DERECH   ERETZ— ZUTA.  29 

therefor  with  poverty.      Be  careful  about  the  honor  of 
your  wife.      Be  glad  of  your  chastisement,  for  this  prob- 
ably saves  you  from  Gehenna.     Be  joyful  at  your  table 
when  the  hungry  derive  benefit  from  it,  in  order  that  you 
enjoy  longevity  and  have  a  share  in  the  world  to  come. 
Be  also  joyful  when  giving  charity  from  your  house,  in 
order  that   you  may  pacify  the  anger  of  death,  as  it  is 
written  [Prov.  xxi.  14]  :  "A  gift  in  secret  pacifieth  anger, 
and   a  bribe   in   the   bosom,  strong   fury."     If  you  have 
troubled  your  feet  for  the  poor  or  for  the  sake  of  a  merit, 
the  following  passages  may  be    applied  to  you   [Deut. 
xxviii.  6]  :  "  Blessed  shalt  thou  be  at  thy  coming  in,  and 
blessed  shalt  thou  be  at  thy  coming  out."     If  you  keep 
your  mouth  from  slander,  you  will  spend  all  the  days  of 
life  in  peace.     One  who  is  audacious  towards  one  who  is 
greater  than  he  will  finally  be  punished  with  a  plague. 
If  you  run  to  do  honor  to  a  sage,  you  will  be  rewarded 
with  enviable  children  ;  and  for  running  to  do  honor  to 
the  poor,  you  will  be  rewarded  with  sons  of  learning  and 
a  law-abiding  record  in  Israel.    Dost  thou  see  a  sage  die, 
do  not  turn  away  from  him  until  after  burial,  that  thou, 
too,  mayest  receive  respect  and  attention  when  it  will  be 
thy  time  to  die.     When  you  see  your  neighbor  has  be- 
come poor  and  his  power  is  on  the  decline,  do  not  refuse 
to    help  him,  as  it   is  written   [Eccl.  viii.   5]:    ''Whoso 
keepeth  the  commandment  will  experience  no  evil  thing." 
If  you  have  loaned  him  something  when  he  was  in  need, 
the  following  passage  will  be  fulfilled  on  you  [Is.  Iviii.  9]  : 
"Then  shalt  thou  call,  and  the  Lord  will  answer."  If  you 
lower  yourself,  the  Lord  will  lift  you  up  ;  but  if  you  as- 
sume  superiority   over  your   fellowmen,   the    Lord    will 
lower  you.      If  others  quarrel   with   thee,  whether  in   a 
house  of  learning  or  at  an  ordinary  meeting-place,  do  not 
leave  until  peace  is  restored,  and  they  shall  praise  tliee 
in  thy  absence  as   Pinchas  b.   Elazar.     Great  is  peace, 
that  even  when  it  reigns  among  idolaters  nothing  can  be 
done  to  them,  as  it  is  written  [Hosea,  iv.  17]:  "  Ephraim 


30  THE   BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

is  bo2Lnd  (bound  together)  to  idols  ;  let  him  alone."  But 
if  they  quarrel  among  themselves,  it  is  said  of  them  [ibid. 
X.  2]  :  "  Their  heart  is  divided  ;  now  shall  they  bear  their 
guilt."  Hence  that  house  in  which  there  is  strife  will 
be  destroyed,  and  the  sages  say  that  even  a  prayer- 
house  in  which  there  is  strife  will  be  demolished.  The 
same  is  it  with  two  chiefs  of  the  court  who  live  in  one 
town  and  quarrel  with  each  other,  they  will  finally  die. 
Abba  Saul  said  :  Strife  between  courts  is  a  destruction 
of  the  world.  Abba  Issi  b.  Johanan  said  in  the  name  of 
Samuel  the  Little  :  This  world  resembles  the  eyeball 
of  a  man.  The  white  is  the  ocean  that  surrounds  the 
whole  land;  the  black  is  the  world;  the  circle  in  the 
black  is  Jerusalem,  and  the  image  (the  pupil)  in  the 
circle  is  the  Temple,  which  will  be  rebuilt  in  the  near 
future.     Amen. 


THE    CHAPTER   ON    PEACE.* 

R.  Jehoshua  b.  Levi  said  :  Great  is  peace,  for  it  is 
as  the  leaven  to  dough.  If  the  Holy  One  had  not  given 
peace  to  the  world,  sword  and  beast  would  devour  up  the 
whole  world,  as  it  is  written  [Lev.  xxvi.  6]  :  "  And  I  will 
give  peace  in  the  land." 

It  is  written  [Eccl.  i.  4]  :  "  One  generation  passeth 
away,  and  another  generation  cometh,  but  the  earth  en- 
dureth  for  ever."  King  Solomon  meant  to  say  thus  : 
Although  one  generation  passes  away  and  another  one 
comes,  one  kingdom  disappears  and  another  one  appears  ; 
and  although  evil  decrees  one  after  another  are  enacted 
against  Israel,  still  they  endure  forever.  The  Lord  does 
not  abandon  them,  and  they  are  never  abandoned.  They 
are  never  annihilated,  neither  do  they  decrease,  as  it  is 
written  [Mai.  iii.  6]  :  "  For  I  the  Lord  have  not  changed  : 
and  ye  sons  of  Jacob,  ye  have  not  ceased  to  be  "  {i.e.,  as  I 

*  This  chapter  is  considered  a  separate  treatise.     See  Zunz  and  other  bibliographers. 


TRACT   DERECH   ERETZ— ZUTA.  31 

have  never  changed  and  will  never  change,  so  ye  sons  of 
Jacob  have  never  ceased  and  will  never  cease  to  bej.    But 
[Deut.  iv.  4]:  "Ye  that  did  cleave  unto  the  Lord  your 
God  are  alive,  every  one  of  you,  this  day."     R.  Jehoshua 
said  :  Great  is  peace,  for  at  the  time  Israel  arose  and  said 
[Exod.  xxiv.  7]  :  "All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  will  we 
do  and  obey,"  the   Holy  One  was  pleased  to  give  unto 
them   His  Torah  and  blessed  them  with  peace,  as  it  is 
written  [Ps.  xxix.  11]  :  "  The  Lord  will  bless  his  people 
with  peace."      Hezekiah   said:    Great  is   peace,    for    at 
every  commandment  in  the  Torah  it  is  written  "  if,"  as,  for 
instance,  Exod.  xxiii.  4,  "  If  thou  meet,"  etc.,  which  means, 
z/  such  a  thing  occurs  to  you,  you  must  do  the  command- 
ment ;  but  concerning  peace  it   is   different,  there   it   is 
written  [Ps.  xxxiv.  15]:    "Seek    peace,   and  pursue   it," 
which  means,  seek  peace  at  the  place  where  you  are,  and 
if  you   do  not  find  it,  seek  it  in  other  places.     Great  is 
peace  :  about  all  the  journeys  of  Israel  it  is  written,  "  And 
//lej  removed     .     .     .     and     .     .     .     encamped,"  which 
means  ^/icy  removed  in  strife  and  encamped  in  strife,  but 
when  they  came  to  Sinai  there  was  no  more  strife,  and 
they  encamped  in  peace,  as  it  is  written  [Exod.  xix.  2]  : 
"And  Israel  encamped  opposite  the  Mount"  (i.e.,  all  Is- 
rael were  united).     The  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  then 
said  :  "  Because  Israel  hates  discord  and  loves  peace,  and 
all  are  united,  this  is  a  favorable  time  that  I   should  give 
them  my  Torah."     Adoniah  the  son  of  David  was  killed 
because  he  was  quarrelsome,  and  it  is  permitted  to  sup- 
port the  accusation  of  a  quarrelsome  man,  as  Nathan  the 
prophet  did  when  Bath-Sheba  accused  Adoniah  [I  Kings, 
i.  14]  :  "I  myself  will  come  in  after  thee,  and  confirm  thy 
words."     And  Rabbi  said  :    All  manner  of  lying  is  pro- 
hibited,  except  it  be  to  make  peace  between  one   and 
his  neighbor.     Bar   Kappara   said :    Great  is   peace,  as 
among  the  angels  there  is  no  animosity,  no  jealousy,  no 
hatred,    no    commanding,    no    quarrelling,    because    the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  has  made  peace  among  them. 


32  THE  BABYLONIAN   TALMUD. 

as  It  is  written  [Job,  xxv.  2]  :  "Dominion  and  dread  are 
with  him  :  he  maketh  peace  in  his  high  places."  "  Do- 
minion "  is  the  angel  Michael  and  "Dread"  is  Gabriel, 
one  of  whom  is  of  fire  and  the  other  one  of  water,  and 
still  they  do  not  oppose  each  other,  for  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  has  made  peace  between  them. 

R.  Jehoshua  said  :  Great  is  peace,  in  that  the  covenant 
of  the  priests  was  made  with  peace,  as  it  is  written  [Numb, 
xxv.  12]  :  "I  give  unto  him  my  covenant  of  peace."  The 
name  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  is  also  "peace" 
(Shalom),  as  it  is  written  [Judges,  vi.  24]  :  "And  called 
it  Adonay-shalom."  R.  Jose  the  Galilean  said  :  The 
name  of  the  Messiah  is  also  "  peace  "  (Shalom),  as  it  is 
written  [Is.  ix.  5] :  "  The  prince  of  peace."  Said  R.  Je- 
hoshua :  Israel  is  also  called  "  peace,"  as  it  is  written 
[Zech,  vlii.  12]:  "For  the  seed  shall  be  undisturbed,  the 
vine  shall  give  its  fruit,"  which  is  to  be  interpreted  thus  : 
"  The  vine  will  give  its  fruit  to  the  seed  of  peace  "  (Is- 
rael). R.  Jose  the  Galilean  said  :  When  the  Messiah 
shall  come  to  Israel,  he  will  begin  with  peace,  as  it  is 
written  [Is.  lii.  7]  :  "  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains 
are  the  feet  of  the  messenger  of  good  tidings,  that  pub- 
lisheth  peace,  that  announceth  tidings  of  happiness,  that 
publisheth  salvation,  that  salth  unto  Zion,  Thy  God 
relgneth."  He  also  said:  Great  is  peace,  because  even 
wars  are  waged  for  the  sake  of  peace,  as  it  is  written 
[Deut.  XX.  10]  :  "  When  thou  comest  nigh  unto  a  city 
to  make  war  against  it,  then  summon  it  with  the  word  of 
peace."  R.  Jehoshua  said  :  In  the  future  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  be  He,  will  uphold  the  righteous  with  peace,  as 
it  is  written  [Is.  xxvi.  3]  :  "  The  confiding  mind  wilt  thou 
keep  in  perfect  peace  ;  because  he  trusteth  in  thee." 
Again  he  said  :  Great  is  peace,  because  it  accompanies 
the  living  as  well  as  the  dead — the  living,  as  it  is  written 
[Exod.  iv.  18]  :  "And  Jethro  said  to  Moses,  Go  in  peace  "  ; 
the  dead,  as  it  is  written  [Gen.  xv.  15]  :  "  But  thou  shalt 
come  to  thy  fathers  in  peace." 


TRACT   DERECH    ERETZ— ZUTA.  23 

R.  Jehoshua  of  Sachnin  said  in  the  name  of  R.  Levi  : 
Great  is  peace,  in  that  all  the  benedictions  and  prayers 
conclude  with  "peace."  The  reading  of  Shema  we  con- 
clude with  "  peace,"  "  and  spread  the  tent  of  thy  peace  "  ; 
the  blessing  of  the  priests  concludes  with  peace,  "  and 
give  thee  peace"  ;  and  the  eighteen  benedictions  con- 
clude :  "  Blessed  be  thou,  master  of  peace." 

Said  R.  Jehoshua  b.  Levi  :  The  Holy  One,  blessed 
be  He,  said  to  Israel,  You  have  caused  me  to  destroy 
my  house  and  to  exile  my  children,  now  pray  for  peace 
and  I  will  forgive  you,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  cxxii.  6]  : 
"  Pray  ye  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem."  Therefore  he 
who  loves  peace,  runs  after  peace,  offers  peace,  and  an- 
swers peace,  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  will  make 
him  inherit  the  life  of  this  world  and  the  life  of  the  world 
to  come,  as  it  is  written  [Ps.  xxxvii.  1 1]  :  "  But  the  meek 
shall  inherit  the  land,  and  shall  delight  themselves  be- 
cause of  the  abundance  of  peace." 


END  OF  TRACT  DERECH  ERETZ— RABBA  AND  ZUTA. 
3 


NEW    EDITION 

OK    THE 

BABYLONIAN  TALMUD 

BY 

DR.    MICHAEL   L.    RODKINSON 


Vol. 

I. 

VoL 

n. 

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III. 

VoL 

IV. 

VoL 

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SECTION  MOED  (FESTIVALS)  COMPLETE,  consisting 
of  the  following  volumes  : 

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xxxvi-xlvii  + 189-390. 

Tract  Erubin,  pp.  xvi  +  252. 

Tracts  Shekalim  and  Rosh  Hashana,  Hebrew 

and  English,  pp.  xliv;  English,  104;  Hebrew,  66. 
Tract  Pesachim,  pp.  xii  +  264. 
Tracts  Yomah  and  Hagica:  Yomah,  pp.  xx+  148; 

Hagiga,  pp.  vi  +  54. 

Tracts  Betzah,  Succah  and  Moed  Katan: 
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